Authored by:
Larissa Teipner Representative at Large
Jason Reid Representative at Large
Travis Fawcett Representative at Large
Ashley Moore Representative at Large
Lauren Monitz Representative at Large
Bryan Wallace Chair UCSU Recreation Board
Derek Johnson Vice
Chair UCSU Recreation Board
Colin Finch UCSU
Recreation Board
Anne Bergstrom UCSU
Recreation Board
Ryan Turner UCSU
Recreation Board
George Hoey UCSU
Recreation Board
Gary Chadwick UCSU Recreation Director
John Meyer UCSU
Associate Rec. Director
Herb
Kienle UCSU Associate Rec. Director
Cathy
Laurie UCSU Recreation Board 02-03
John Buerge UCSU
Executive 2001-02
Kevin
Boyer UCSU Executive 2002-03
Mark
Benson UCSU Finance Board
Sponsored
by: Larissa Teipner Representative
at Large Travis
Fawcett Representative
at Large
Meg Rapp Arch.
& Planning
Ashley
Moore Representative
at Large
Michael
Coe Representative at Large
A connection exists between the availability of outdoor recreational facilities and the decision by students to attend a particular university. The programs and facilities provided by Recreation Services at CU Boulder play a vital role in the choice to attend the University of Colorado, and in the decision to remain at CU during a student’s academic career. These facilities and programs affect the overall quality of student life, and general satisfaction with the institution. It is important for these facilities to meet the expectations of students.
In order to address this need, Recreation Services proposes renovation of existing outdoor fields and facilities located on campus and development of new facilities at CU-Boulder South. These proposed renovations and new developments address key needs expressed by students for additional sports fields for use by the general student population, intramural activities, and club sports activities. The existing outdoor facilities have limitations including lack of lighting, seasonal restrictions, limited availability, substandard field conditions due to overuse, and an inability to irrigate the fields. This bill represents the support of the UCSU to construct outdoor recreational facilities to help meet the needs of the University of Colorado at Boulder students.
Recreation Services has undertaken a feasibility study to assess the state of current outdoor recreation facilities on the Boulder campus and determine an appropriate response to meet the needs of the student population. This study has included a review of information available from other universities and other relevant sources. Original research including a survey of the student population and an inventory/assessment of current facilities and programming was conducted. The findings indicate that there is a positive correlation between quality recreation facilities and the recruitment and retention of students at universities like CU Boulder. The data also indicate that CU Boulder ranks very low among competing institutions in the outdoor recreation facilities it provides. For example, in comparing CU to eleven similar universities with student populations between 25,000 and 49,000, CU falls behind in all areas. While CU ranks first in outdoor participation; it only ranks eighth in total field acreage, eleventh in quality of acreage per 1,000 students, and tenth in acres per 1,000 students among competing institutions.
Data collected in “A Proposed Recreation Field Standard for Institutional Master Planning” by James C. Turman and Anthony K. Brown, the minimum ratio of high quality acreage needed to meet recreational needs is approximately one acre per 1,000 students. As noted, CU has zero acres at high quality acreage. Additionally, data from the 2002-03 Big XII Recreation Sports Survey confirm that CU lags behind in numerous areas including total number of outdoor facility acres, lighted acres, unlit field acres, number of natural turf intramural fields, and number of tennis courts. Inadequate facilities are negatively impacting the quality of programs provided by Recreation Services. The campus is unable to meet the existing demand let alone future demands.
It is important to note that improving the quality and availability of outdoor recreation facilities will not necessarily require changing current land uses or depriving existing programs of facility uses. The same purpose can be accomplished by making better use of existing fields and installing new facilities on underdeveloped land. Adding sports lighting to extend the hours of use and upgrading field surfaces are examples of better use of the facilities. The overall result will be increased flexibility in how facilities are programmed. This will result in more opportunities for students to participate in a wider range of activities on higher quality facilities.
The mission of the Department of Recreation Services is to provide opportunity for physical and social interaction that satisfy varying degrees of interest in the university community and will ultimately support academic productivity. Prior recreation research has consistently showed that students who participate in recreational sports programs and activities identified recreational sports as one of the key determinants of college satisfaction and success. Recreation Services contributes to the University of Colorado at Boulder’s mission by providing extensive recreational opportunities through both the facilities and programs that are offered. Integrated in these services are: out-of-the classroom educational activities promoting healthy opportunities for learning lifelong skills, social interaction, and enhancing the overall quality of life that promotes retention of students. In addition, the quality of services provided by Recreation Services is important to University of Colorado at Boulder’s effort in recruiting prospective students. Recreation Services supports the goals of Student Affairs by facilitating student development, building community, and helping develop cooperative partnerships with students, faculty, staff, and constituent groups.
While this initiative did not pass the UCSU
Constitution requirement of a 25% affirmative vote by the student body, 22.7%
voted favoring this referendum by a two to one margin.
This bill represents support of the UCSU to renovate and construct recreational outdoor facilities on the Boulder Campus. On main campus the proposed funding areas include four new outdoor basketball courts, renovations of Farrand and Franklin fields with natural grass, and renovation of Kittredge field with three synthetic fields
BE IT ENACTED by the Legislative
Council of the University of Colorado Student Union, THAT:
Section 1: UCSU supports the implementation of a Recreation Center fee, which will be used to pay off the bond related to the construction of the itemized list of proposed funded areas.
Section 2: Upon completion of the project, any money not expended will be used to pay down the twenty year bond.
Section 3: The actual collection of the fee will begin the fall semester of 2006 or when the construction of this project is 50% completed, whichever comes first. The twenty year bond mandates a student fee increase of $7.50 per semester.
Section 4: A provisional outdoor facility committee will be established that will be terminated with the end of this project. The committee will be made up of two Legislative Council members including the representative to the Recreation Center Board, the chair of the Recreation Board, the chair of the Finance Board, the Tri-executives, a representative from the Residence Hall Association, a Representative from Freshman Council, the Recreation Services Director and staff, and the Facilities Management Landscape Architect. The purpose of this committee includes regulating and prioritizing the construction of these projects, maintaining the environmental and labor standards enacted by this bill, as well as maintaining and upholding the values and interests of the students of CU. The organization of this committee will be up to the discretion of the Recreation Center Board, subject to the approval of Legislative Council.
Section 5: Any restroom facilities must include gender neutral/family restroom facilities.
Section 6: There shall
be no contract or procurement for any construction on projects paid for or by
this fee until a UCSU appointed staff person or committee, working with the
Recreation Center or Outdoor Facilities Committee, has created a
pre-qualification process that allows for a request for
proposals and a “best value” standard for contractors to the extent allowable
by law. This pre-qualification process includes, but is not limited to,
standards such as safe and adequate apprenticeship programs graduating at least
30% of the company’s “pre-journeyman” workers, a safe staffing plan, adequate
health care benefits, a prevailing wage, union status, and workers’ ability to organize
a union. UCSU will be involved in the contractor evaluation and monitoring
teams. This section will be subject to
state statutory requirements.
Section 7: The Director of the Recreation Center will come before Legislative Council annually until the completion of the project to give a report on the progress of the projects, as well as including it in the annual director’s report.
Section 8. The Legislative Council realizes that these actions do not fully alleviate the current strain on recreation facilities and encourages the recreational board to bring additional proposals for consideration by Legislative Council in the spirit of improving the recreational fields and facilities.
Section 9. Synthetic pesticides are banned and cannot be used on any natural turf areas constructed, improved, or modified with funds allocated through this legislation.
Section 10. The
organic content soil will reach a depth of no less than 12 inches beneath the
surface of the natural turf fields.
Section 11. Preference shall be given to the use of Time-Released/Slow-Release fertilizers for natural turf fields. Organic fertilizers will be used when possible.
Section 12. The use of natural turf fields shall be limited with guidance by the following principals:
a. All events must be approved by the Turf Manager as being in accordance to the proper use of the fields.
b. Use of natural turf fields should be limited as much as possible to their designed purpose for recreation events and activities that are not damaging to the turf.
c. There shall be no parking on natural turf fields unless the following conditions are met:
i. All damage resulting from parking on a field must be fully compensated by the party by whom the reservation for the field was made. An appropriate security deposit for potential damage must be collected upon reservation of any field for parking purposes.
ii. Damage to a field that results in loss of the ability to properly use that field shall be compensated by the party by whom the reservation for the field was made. Loss of the ability to use a field shall be defined as the amount of time that is needed to restore the field to a condition that is suitable for normal use. An appropriate security deposit for potential damage must be collected upon reservation of any field for parking purposes.
iii. In the event that a field is wet or has the potential to become wet during an event the ability to use a field for parking can be revoked. Alternative parking locations must be made in advance and proof of such arrangements must be provided.
d. In the event that a field is wet or has the potential to become wet during any scheduled event and there is concern that the event may damage the field if it continues as planned, the ability to use the field can be revoked. Alternative locations for events must be made in advance and proof of such arrangements must be provided.
e. The use of any glass container will be strictly prohibited on all fields constructed or modified by this legislation.
i. Appropriate signage will notify users of fields of this provision.
ii. This provision will be included in all contracts with parties using the fields.
iii. A fine of no less than $1,500 will be levied against the party who reserved the area for use for violation of this provision.
iv. A fine of no less than $100 will be levied to any individual in violation of this provision.
f. The use of coal burning barbeques will be strictly prohibited on all fields constructed or modified by this legislation. Gas burning barbeques will be allowed.
i. Appropriate signage will notify users of fields of this provision.
ii. This provision will be included in all contracts with parties using the fields.
iii. A fine of no less than $3,000 will be levied against the party who reserved the area for use for violation of this provision.
iv. A fine of no less than $300 will be levied to any individual in violation of this provision.
g. The use of containers with bottle caps will be strictly prohibited on all fields constructed or modified by this legislation.
i. Appropriate signage will notify users of fields of this provision.
ii. This provision will be included in all contracts with parties using the fields.
iii. A fine of no less than $1,000 will be levied against the party who reserved the area for use for violation of this provision.
iv. A fine of no less than $50 will be levied to any individual in violation of this provision.
h. The use of cigarettes will be strictly prohibited on all fields constructed or modified by this legislation.
i. Appropriate signage will notify users of fields of this provision.
ii. This provision will be included in all contracts with parties using the fields.
iii. A fine of no less than $1,500 will be levied against the party who reserved the area for use for violation of this provision.
iv. A fine of no less than $100 will be levied to any individual in violation of this provision.
Section 13.
The height of any gate constructed with the use of this fee shall not
exceed the minimum height required for the largest tractor that Facilities
Management uses for field maintenance.
Parties who use the fields shall be notified of the maximum height
restriction for gates affected by this provision.
Section 14. The
construction of artificial turf fields shall maximize the use of recycled
content materials for the fill beneath the turf, as well as the turf itself. Recycled
content may include, without limitation, scrap tires and used athletic shoes.
Section 15. All contracts for construction of recreational facilities pursuant to this bill shall require contractors to submit a construction and demolition recycling plan, documenting how the contractor shall divert materials from the landfill. The actual percentage of material required to be diverted may vary, depending on the specific site. This percentage shall be approved by the director of the UCSU Environmental Center or her/his designee.
Section 16. At
least 75% of any wood products used shall be certified as sustainably harvested
wood by the Forest Stewardship Council.
Section 17. Adequate
recycling facilities shall be provided at all facilities built with this fee.
The UCSU recycling director and facilities management recycling director shall
review the plans to certify that adequate facilities are provided. In addition,
the Recreation center shall ensure that special event recycling plans are
developed and implemented for all large competitive events.
Section 18. In order to prevent light trespass, reduce light pollution (also known as “sky glow”), reduce excessive glare, promote energy conservation, and improve safety and security, all outdoor lighting shall be constructed in accordance with the City of Boulder’s outdoor lighting ordinance. This shall not, however, establish any broader precedent requiring university projects to comply with city codes.
Section 19. Solar
photovoltaic panels shall be constructed to produce as much electricity on an
annual basis as the net electrical energy consumed by all outdoor facilities
including, but not limited to outdoor lighting, outdoor kiosks, and other
facilities outside of the current recreation center. These panels may be grid
tied or independent of the grid.
Section 20. ENACTMENT: This Bill takes effect upon final passage by Legislative Council and obtaining the signatures of the Tri-Executives.
10-7-04 Amended and Passed 10-4-3
10-14-04 Discussion Only
10-21-04 Tabled
10-3-4
10-28-04 Amended and Passed 14-1-2