Approximately 45 community garden members and the children from the Children?s Center that partake in the Harvest and Spring Planting Festivals at the community garden each year are running out of time with no answers in sight on the fate of the garden.

Almost a year after Associate Students, Inc., unanimously approved its new budget, all but killing off efforts to keep the community garden open, there is still no decision from Student Affairs, Facilities Planning, Administration and Business Affairs or the university on what will happen to the garden property.

Shirley Uplinger, vice president for Student Affairs, said she believed that the property was going to house a new continuing education building and possibly a radio station.

“It?s not up to my discretion,” Uplinger added.

Facilities Planning Manager Ron Richardson said there is nothing in the master plan for the garden property at this point, unless upper management has plans for it.

Richardson did confirm future construction in that area, but said the garden property would not be affected at this point.

Edward Del Biaggio, vice president for Administration and Business Affairs, was out of town and unavailable for comment.

Carol Ackerson, executive director of ASI, said that as soon as the university makes the decision, she would notify the community garden members.

“I think the university will make a decision before the end of the semester,” Ackerson said.

Rene Hamlin, former director of the community garden, is spearheading the drive to keep the Sacramento State community garden open and has recently been talking about letting the Environmental Studies Department take over the gardens.

“I don?t understand what the university is doing. I?m very confused,” Hamlin said.Vice President and Chief of Staff Elizabeth Moulds said there are no plans for the land at the moment, and no proposals have been made.

The university would have to determine what the best purpose for the property is, according to Moulds.

The face of the campus is changing, and the university needs to consider that in conjunction with the University Mission Statement and Goals, Moulds said.

According to the mission statement and goals of California State University, the university is to preserve, communicate and advance knowledge; cultivate wisdom; encourage creativity; promote the value of humankind; and improve the quality of life for its graduates and the people of the region.

“The garden shows that the university works with the campus and community, ” Hamlin said. “Why can?t we have an agreement to work the land until the university decides what to do with it.”

Moulds did not think it would be a good idea to allow the garden members to work the land until the university decided what to do with it.

“There would be a problem legally. If someone gets injured on the property, we are responsible,” Moulds said.

Members of the garden are frustrated, but have been positive through the ordeal, according to Hamlin.

“I?m sad,” Hamlin said.

In the early ?70s, the Environmental Studies Department ran the small garden area, but in 1975 Sacramento State students approached ASI, requesting money and permission to run the garden.

Hamlin said she had been speaking with geography professor Thomas and working on a plan to have environmental studies take over the property, but just learned that the university is not allowing the garden to continue after this semester.

“It would be an excellent relationship,” Hamlin said. “[The gardens are] a special place.”Environmental studies would have been willing to help the garden, considering the historical value between the gardens and the department, Krabacher said.

However, Moulds did not rule out the possibility of environmental studies and the gardens taking over the land.

A banner reading, “Please help save our Community Garden” was placed at the entrance to the gardens near the Folsom Blvd. entrance by garden members in order to heighten the awareness of its possible closure.

However, the banner has done little to stir student participation. Support has come from community members, but getting more students involved in the fight is difficult, Hamlin said.