Sacramento State recreational program directors are sharing concerns over the amount of student input in deciding the design of the projected $90 million Recreation, Wellness and Events Center.

The committee currently overseeing the planning of the RWEC does not have any members from Associated Students Inc.

The only student on the board is Josh McGee, president of the Interfraternity Council. He could not be reached for this story.

Jael Young, director of Peak Adventures, believes it is the role of ASI to get more involved in these planning stages.

“The complaint needs to be taken to the ASI board to be advocated for student interests,” Young said. “ASI is the only body collectively that has power to have a voice. Millions of student dollars are going into this.”

Young is also concerned that square footage for recreational sports activities will be smaller than originally expected, with planning for the basketball stadium and events center taking priority.

“New information has come forth that we can’t fit everything in that we thought,” Young said.Ken Morton, director of Recreational Sports, said it’s too early to speculate about what kind of recreational opportunities will be available at the new facility.

“We’re not at the point where an architect has been selected, so it’s a bit premature to jump to conclusions about what will be there or won’t,” Morton said.

Leslie Davis, director of the University Union and RWEC committee member, said the board is still in the process of interviewing architects. The chosen architect will then meet with Peak Adventures and the other recreational programs to discuss their roles in the RWEC planning.As of Thursday, the committee had interviewed four architects and hopes to have a choice by the end of February.

Morton also believes that ASI needs to take more of a role in the planning stages.

“My concern is to get ASI on the planning board to get our needs met,” Morton said. Those needs include enough space for Rec Sports to support its growing size. Morton believes membership in the Rec Sports program will quadruple when the center finally opens in 2008.James Shelby II, ASI vice president of finance, agrees that bringing ASI into the RWEC planning is important.

“It needs to be our top priority,” Shelby said. “ASI plays a large role in determining the center’s outcome.”

Shelby adds that he wants to start a conversation among the ASI board about getting more involved.

Colleen Ripchick, vice president of university affairs, said ASI would get more involved when it is known how much money will be available to construct the RWEC. Much of that depends on the amount of donations President Alexander Gonzalez can bring in from the outside community.

“Nothing can get underway until the $25 million promise from Gonzalez comes in,” Ripchick said.

Ripchick said Davis and McGee are currently putting together a committee of about six to eight students that will give input into the RWEC decisions.