With the future of Sacramento State in mind, universityPresident Alexander Gonzalez supports the Recreation WellnessEvents Center and the changes it will bring to the campus.

Gonzalez said that if students vote affirmatively for the $110semester fee increase at the Associated Students, Inc. election onApril 27-28, both current and future students will benefit.

“You’re going to be voting for something that willbe … beneficial for the students of the future,”Gonzalez said. “And even though you may not have the benefitsright away, in the long run, hopefully, you will.

“Especially if you stay in the area; then you can comeback and participate in some of the activities.”

In addition to the RWEC, Gonzalez said that the construction ofnew dormitories and apartment-style residence halls will helpcreate a campus community, and change Sac State’s image as acommuter campus.

“The (RWEC) and those dorms will transform thiscampus,” Gonzalez said. “It won’t just be acommuter campus.”

Currently, 1,100 students live on campus. The construction ofnew residence halls will provide the space for 5,000 students tolive on campus.

Acknowledging that many Sac State students lead hectic livesoutside of school, Gonzalez said that the RWEC would providestudents with a place to escape and relax.

“Coming to campus should be a time you can come out of therat race,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said that if everything goes as planned, freshmen willbe able to use the RWEC during their senior year.

If students vote yes on the fee increase, Gonzalez will begin toraise private funds for the construction of the facility. Thefundraising will likely take 12-18 months. At the same time, anarchitecht and a committee will start developing the plans.

“If we can start both things going, within three years wecan have it up and running, if we’re lucky,” Gonzalezsaid.

As former president of San Marcos State, Gonzalez used a similarprivate fundraising plan to build a recreational center, althoughsmaller than the proposed size of the RWEC.

Besides creating a campus community, Gonzalez said that the RWECwill help to better connect Sac State to its surroundingcommunity.

The RWEC would allow the community to participate in campus lifeby providing Sacramento with a mid-sized events center.

Gonzalez said that students will ultimately benefit from thecommunity’s increased involvement in Sac State affairs.

“(The community) will end up helping the students withscholarships, jobs and all kinds of other things,” Gonzalezsaid.

In response to those who oppose the RWEC, Gonzalez said that thepeople who believe that now is not the right time to build thefacility are being short-sighted.

“I think, financially, right now is the time to doit,” Gonzalez said. “The longer you wait, the moreit’s going to cost.

“If we wait for the state, it won’thappen.”

Gonzalez said that visualization of the final outcome isessential in understanding the importance of the RWEC.

“That’s what students need to think about. What willthis look like? How will it enhance the campus … soit’s an inviting and accessible place?” Gonzalezsaid.

Ultimately, Gonzalez said that if students vote affirmativelyfor the fee increase, it will invoke positive changes across thecampus.

“The campus has been asleep for a long time,”Gonzalez said. “Now people are starting to think of thefuture.”