TCU Senate approves $66,000 Lunder Fitness Center upgrade

An anonymous donation will lead to new technological equipment in the Lunder Fitness Center in Gantcher Gymnasium, but the gift came with a price.

The donor offered to give $58,000 toward new equipment, but he attached an unusual stipulation. Before the school could receive the money, the Tufts Community Union (TCU) was required to allocate $8,000 to "ensure student body's excitement" towards the project.

After a heated debate, the Senate approved the monies with a vote of fifteen to six, with funds coming from a student activity fee budget surplus. Discussion at the meeting focused on whether the Senate should be using monies usually given to student organizations toward funding equipment purchases.

Some senators thought the money should come from another source. "The student body should be proactive and if they want it, we shouldn't just write a check for eight or ten grand for them," freshman TCU Senator Andrew Caplan said.

TCU Historian Jeff Katzin suggested that money should come from the administration, but TCU President Chike Aguh said this was not feasible. "I saw Bacow on Friday and he said 'no,'" Aguh said.

"The Student Activities Fee doesn't have the objective to pay for services costs," TCU Associate Treasurer Cho Ling said. "This might be a thing we regret giving money to because it's a lot of money and it's against our policy."

"It's not the student 'make-Tufts-better fee,'" Senator Joe Mead said. "Take the donor out of it. Would we normally give $8,000 for these renovations? For us to pay this is absolutely absurd."

Despite the strong feelings of some to hold the money, the majority felt that the opportunity was too good to pass up.

Senators thought it was a good way for the donor to figure out whether the student body truly wanted an improved fitness center. "At the end of the day we have to consider what will make the quality of life better," Senator Rafi Goldberg said. "I believe this will."

Caplan called the motivations of the donor to question. "For me, if you give a donation, give a full-hearted donation," Caplan said.

Senators also debated whether the gym renovations, which include additional televisions with channels not offered in the dorms, would benefit the school. "$66,000 on entertainment while we work out?" Katzin said. "I don't need to be entertained while I work out."

Freshman Senator Jamil Ludd disagreed. "The TVs will have ESPN," he said. "Watching sports often gets you pumped."

Fellow freshman Senator Zach Landau compared spending the $8,000 to past Senate projects. "This investment affects all students, kind of like the campus center patio," he said. "We gave the Concert Board $18,000 for a one-day project, and this will be permanent."

Other Senate members found it impossible to make a decision because it was unknown what students truly wanted. "You're assuming everyone wants it [money for the equipment]. Why don't we ask other groups on campus whether they really want the equipment?" freshman Senator Simon Sassenberg said. "That way, we can gauge interest and be fiscally responsible."

To be sure about student opinion, some senators suggested that the TCU Senate wait a week to make a decision as to whether or not they should spend the $8,000 necessary to receive the anonymous donation. "We need to think about this. It should be tabled," sophomore Senator Jos?© V??zquez said.

Sophomore Senator Jonathon Gais said the anonymous donor had given more in the past and wanted work to be "done yesterday."

"If we table it a week, we might lose the money," Aguh said. "We know what students want, and it is more equipment."

The money will be taken from the Student Activities Fee surplus as soon as the donation is made.