For more than 10 years the need for an on-campus cultural center has been discussed. In the coming weeks, this discussion could turn into a realistic plan.

The referendum for the cultural center will be placed on the Government of the Student Body general election ballot. ISU students will be able to vote online Friday through Monday.

Angela Groh, senior in political science and GSB president, said the Memorial Union has designated a space for the cultural center.

“If the money can be found for the capital renovations they will continuously upkeep the space,” she said.

Groh said the capital renovations are paid for partially through fees of $3 per student per semester over 10 years. This will be added to student tuition fees for the construction of the center, beginning in the 2007-08 academic year.

Groh said there is not one specific idea of how the center would be used, but the goal is to benefit the entire student body.

“There’s a great need for cultural and global citizenship awareness on campus,” she said.

Groh said GSB would like to have this cultural center as a base for ethnically diverse people to be able to feel at home.

If the referendum for the cultural center passes, the next step will be a request taken to the special student fees and tuition committee. After this, it will need approval from the Board of Regents.

Thomas Hill, vice president for student affairs, said funding for the cultural center could possibly come from donations, grants or central administration of the university.

“You keep in mind that the Memorial Union is keeping a space for it,” Hill said.

This eliminates some of the need for funding, and Hill added that students already pay for the Memorial Union operations.

He said the proposal written for the cultural center is general and vague, but he sees the center as possibly being a dynamic type of facility.

“They would have to have events hosted there,” Hill said. “There are a number of cultural events we engage in.”

He said the center could sponsor events related to Black History Month, women’s history or Asian history at different times throughout the year.

Venise McCown, senior in psychology and GSB director of diversity, said she would like to see a study area where students can interact in the center, and possibly have a library there, as well. She said whether the cultural center will be staffed has not been determined.

“We definitely want students to have a strong voice on what’s going on there,” McCown said.

She said she does not think a lot of students know about the plans for this potential center.

Freddy Aveiga-Alcivar, graduate student in interdisciplinary graduate studies and president of Latinoamericanos club, said he was not aware of the discussion for a cultural center, but would find it beneficial to use this facility for a more permanent meeting location.

“We contact someone right now,” Aveiga-Alcivar said. “For example, a student in physics could reserve a room there.”

Richard Reynolds, director of the Memorial Union, said the architects conducting the construction for the Memorial Union held focus groups in 2001 and 2002, and those groups expressed a desire for such a center.

Reynolds said the space designated for the cultural center is the current office area for the bookstore staff.

This area was originally supposed to be used by the alumni association, but it is now planning to construct its own new building.

Reynolds gave a rough estimate that the space could be renovated early in 2008.

“We really want as many services or programs to bring students in the building as possible,” he said.

Ideas for the center include a multicultural art gallery, a kitchenette area, small conference rooms and a lounge.

Reynolds said once funding is secure, open forums for all students would be a good way to decide how the space should be used.

“I think GSB would be the appropriate group to put together student focus groups,” Reynolds said.