| Nov. 20, 2008 CONTACT: Dr. Don Albrecht, 806-651-2050, dalbrecht@wtamu.edu COPY BY: Rana McDonald, 806-651-2129, rmcdonald@wtamu.edu Students Say Yes to Sports Complex, No to JBK Expansion CANYON, Texas—Students at West Texas A&M University voted yes for a recreational sports complex and no to an expansion at the Jack B. Kelley Student Center (JBK). The University will now take the proposal to The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents for approval. “We wanted the proposals to be decided by our students, and they have spoken. The students have voted for the recreational sports complex and against the expansion at the Jack B. Kelley Student Center,” Dr. Don Albrecht, vice president for student affairs, said. “We respect their choices and appreciate them taking an active role in the decision process. The University’s efforts to improve campus facilities will always take into account student preferences, and we will continue to seek their input and opinions to ensure that the very best in educational opportunities and experiences are available at West Texas A&M.” WTAMU students voted online or at campus kiosks Tuesday and Wednesday to decide whether the athletic fee and student center fees should be increased for the addition of a recreational sports complex on the north side of the campus and for an expansion at the JBK. In the vote for the recreational sports complex, 964 students voted yes, while 760 voted no. In the vote for the JBK expansion, 739 students voted no and 691 voted yes. If the sports complex proposal is approved by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, the WTAMU athletic fee will go from $10 per semester credit hour to $15 per hour beginning in fall 2009 and to $20 per hour in 2010. The athletic fee would help pay for more than half of the estimated $40-$51M construction costs, and donations will be sought to help complete the project. Construction of the facility will commence upon approval by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. Plans for the complex include playing fields for soccer, flag football and varsity baseball andsoftball as well as tennis courts, sand volleyball, outdoor basketball courts, a track and a practice field for the WTAMU marching band. —WTAMU— | 
