WSU students will vote on fee

Students at Washington State University will vote March 8 on whether to charge themselves a $25 fee each semester for the next 25 years, to help pay for renovations at Martin Stadium.

If students approve the fee, it will be charged beginning next fall and allow the school to bond about $10 million for the project. The rest of the approximately $74 million cost would come from donations and premium seating, although WSU has not begun a formal fund-raising campaign, said athletic director Jim Sterk.

Some students oppose the fees, and a student senator filibustered the proposal at a meeting this month. But supporters of the project then gathered enough signatures to put the measure on the ballot, Sterk said.

The four-phase plan to renovate the football stadium includes improving entrances, adding and renovations restrooms and concessions stands, and adding more box-style premium seating, Sterk said.

Sterk said the student contribution would be fair, given that WSU devotes more than twice as much stadium space to student seating as many universities around the West.