Although the University's new basketball arena has not yet begun to be constructed, students and administrators already are discussing the role students will have in its development.
"We want to assert ourselves early on so that our claims don't get pushed by the wayside," Student Council President-elect Joe Bilby said. "The opinion of the students needs to count for something around here."
Bilby said students deserve to have "the best seats in the house" during games, because students should take priority at the University. He said students also would build morale and provide "maximum home-court advantage."
Since the Athletics Department is financially self-sufficient, private funds must be raised to subsidize the new arena's construction, which has a projected total construction cost of about $120 million.
University Athletic Director Terry Holland said previously raised University funds, through the $1 billion Capital Campaign, were not earmarked to support the arena.
For this reason, from a business standpoint, the University will want to offer priority seating to financial benefactors, Holland said.
"If we have to sell the seats to build the arena, they're sold," he said. He added that some of the responsibility of paying for the new structure most likely will fall on students.
"Everything that will be done will eventually be on the backs and shoulders of the students," Holland said. "They basically will pay for things in the future one way or another."
Although the University is not permitted to raise tuition to fund the arena, he said student fees may have to be increased.
William W. Harmon, vice president for student affairs, said Gov. James S. Gilmore III (R) does not want Virginia colleges and universities to raise student fees.
But Harmon said if students voice strong support in favor of raising fees in this situation, Gilmore may reconsider his position.
"One would think student self-governance would prevail," he said.
Council Chief Financial Officer John Finley said he agrees that Gilmore may change his opinion about the fees on an individual basis.
"I don't know that the governor's stance on student fees takes such a situation into account," Finley said.
He said if students take an active role in the development of the arena, it would set a precedent for future University endeavors.
Holland agreed it would be a "good working model for how the rest of the University should work."
The basketball arena is part of the University's Master Plan, which calls for an overhaul of the University environment.
The arena is slated to be built in the current University Hall parking lot, although the exact site has not been decided yet.
Parking for the arena and University Hall also has yet to be determined, but Holland said there may be a parking garage built adjacent to the arena.
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