Editor, Daily Nexus,
Our university is desperately in need of sports facilities enhancement and maintenance, which is why we need to vote YES for the Sports and Activity Facility Fee. The proposed fee will benefit every individual on this campus whether one enjoys participating in sports and activities or not. It is no secret that our sports facilities are far below acceptable standards for an institution of our size and prestige. We need to replace our weed and hole-infested fields with safer fields that can be enjoyed by the entire student body. In addition, many of our existing facilities are an embarrassment to our university. Our facilities often fail to meet national competition standards. We might be one of the only universities in the nation that has an intercollegiate pool that was built just shortly after World War II. By voting yes on this initiative, we are supporting the construction of a new aquatics and tennis court complex as well as safer facilities and an increase in the availability of those fields that are now poorly maintained, causing unplayable conditions for students. An all-weather surface at Rob Field, Storke Field and the Lacrosse Field will allow the entire student body the chance to play throughout the entire year, including winter months when playing fields are often closed due to poor weather conditions.
Furthermore, the enhancement of pre-existing sports facilities is necessary because it not only will replace our incredibly inadequate facilities, but also will increase the credibility and competitiveness of our university’s athletics. This is not something that will only benefit athletes. This will benefit the entire student body, even after we graduate. Although UCSB is a very prestigious university, it does not receive the national recognition it deserves, while a school such as UCLA does. The reason for this is because UCLA receives much more national recognition through sports than our university. By enhancing the quality of our athletics, we can attract better recruits, larger sponsorships and national coverage so when a UCSB graduate applies for a job outside of California, employers might actually recognize our university when it is compared with other highly selective schools.
Finally, we should vote yes because it is so important to support organizations at this school. Money from the state of California can only be used for academic purposes. The only other source is the students, which is why it is so important for us to support each other so that we can make the best of our college experiences. Again, vote yes so everyone can enjoy new fields of dreams!
JENNIFER RUDY
