Student senators voiced their concerns about the potential loss of parking in the continuing discussion about the Student Campus Enhancement Fund.

The Student Campus Enhancement Fund, voted on and approved by students two years ago, is a project for improving the campus. A fee will be added to future tuition that will pay for 40 percent of the cost of these improvements.

During the January 16 ASB meeting, Patrick Sisneros, one of the main coordinators for the project and the associate vice president of administrative services, reported that the gym, one of the big projects from the enhancement fund, will start construction in July. It is going to be built where the parking spaces between Shuksan Building and Broadway are.

Some of the student senators were concerned that this would mean less parking, however Sisneros said that all spots that the gym is going to take up will be replaced.

There were concerns that the replacement spots will not be up before this July when construction starts on the gym. Sisneros said that while he couldn't promise that the replacements would be ready by the summer, they will be available as soon as possible.

The planned expansions of parking in the future are currently a long walking distance from the college; as long as or longer than the Rite Aid shopping center spots. Some senators are worried that parking is moving further and further away from the college.

"It's important to remember that the college is moving toward Broadway though," said Sisneros, referring to the upcoming gym and the planned Index Quad replacement which will be on the corner of Broadway and Tower Street.

Alexander Stevens, a student senator and a Clipper writer, asked why we were building a gym that only a portion of the students are going to use when we could build a parking garage.

Sisneros said that parking garages cost $25,000 per spot which makes them very expensive. He also said our gym is 50 years old and is falling apart. Tyler Davis, a student senator and member of EvCC's cross country team, added that there is "not enough facilities for all our athletic programs to run there."

Finally, there are also concerns that no matter what the student opinion on the plans for the Student Campus Enhancement Fund project that the college administration could override them. "That's what this discussion is for" said Sisneros "so we can see what the students want". Sisneros and the senate ran out of time on January 16. However, the discussion is going to continue in future meetings.