Daily Egyptian

Chancellor Walter Wendler revealed significant details about "Saluki Way" Monday night, including the construction plan's start date and a resulting $256 in student fee increases during the next four years.

Administrators originally expected alumni gifts to pay for the bulk of "Saluki Way," a nearly $500 million, 12-year construction plan to overhaul the east side of campus. Wendler told student group representatives at a meeting in the Student Center that fees would pay for 75 percent and donors would account for the rest.

The athletic fee sits at $113, but would increase $44 per semester every fall for four years under Wendler's proposal. The chancellor noted that even with the increase, SIUC would remain consistent with its peer institutions.

By comparison, the University of Illinois at Chicago charges students a $414.60 athletic fee per semester, and Eastern Illinois University charges $174.05. The proposed increase wedges SIUC between the two with $289 eventually being charged per semester in fall 2009.

Wendler proposed the athletic fee increase because "Saluki Way's" first phase includes building a new football field just south of McAndrew Stadium and renovating the SIU Arena. The chancellor said improving athletic facilities is critical.

"We have the distinction at Southern Illinois University Carbondale of having the worst athletic facilities in two conferences," Wendler said, referring to the football team's Gateway Conference and the Missouri Valley Conference in which other sports programs play.

Wendler also stressed the importance of improving non-athletic facilities. While "Saluki Way" originally called for an academic building in phase one of construction, the chancellor said conversations with SIU President Glenn Poshard changed that.

The first non-athletic building will now be a replacement for Woody Hall, the more than 50-year-old building that houses many administrative offices. Wendler dubbed the new structure the Academic Support Services Building, and he said Woody Hall's current offices, which include financial aid and the Bursar, would move there.

New and prospective students would no longer trudge between the Student Center and Woody Hall to prepare for school, he said. Instead, visitors could do all their business in a modern building located where McAndrew Stadium currently stands.

"Everything a student would need to do to get ready for school would be right at the front door," the chancellor said.

The Academic Support Services Building necessitates a fee increase as well, Wendler said. Replacing Woody Hall stands to cost students a $20 per semester fee increase every four years as well, increasing the plan's related hikes to $256 over the next four years.

"It's a fairly substantial increase in fees, but you know it's coming," Wendler said. "That's part of the deal."

Disabled Student Services and the Autism Clinic are slated to move to Woody Hall from offices in Rehn Hall and the Communications Building.

The entire plan awaits approval by the Board of Trustees. Wendler said he will show revisions to the group in March, and it will be voted on in May. The chancellor announced the fee increases early to foster better discussion before finishing the revisions, he said.

Board Chairman Roger Tedrick has said he is excited about the plan, and the campus badly needs new construction. Construction should begin in 2008, and Wendler slated 2010 and 2012 as possible completion dates for the project's first phase.

About 50 percent of current students will graduate before any construction begins, and most of the campus community will leave before any is completed. Wendler said paying the new fees should be seen as an investment in the value of an SIUC degree. The chancellor compared degrees to stock certificates, saying the value goes up when the University improves.

"I think, personally, this will have a big time positive impact on the University and because you hold stock in it, a big time positive impact on you," he said.

As they left the meeting, many in attendance said the chancellor's stock comparison convinced them the fee increases were necessary.

"I think its well worth the money because we need to do something different around here," said Mark Irvin, a senior studying agriculture from Paxton. "We need a facelift."

Tina Novak, a sophomore studying political science from Barrington, said she wanted to pay more to increase the value of her degree. Novak, Irvin and a number of other campus group representatives said they would pay more if administrators showed them results.

Throughout the meeting students sat subdued. However, when Wendler mentioned ending the Woody Shuffle, a process that sends newly employed students running back and forth between Woody Hall and their job, the audience came to life.

"It would put an end forever to the Woody Shuffle," Wendler said.

Students greeted the proclamation with applause and whisperings of approval. The chancellor collected attendees e-mail addresses and said he would send them any news about the fees.