Photo courtesy of Fresno State Athletics

A $7.5 million aquatic center is being built on Fresno State’s campus and many students are unaware of it.

On Apr. 1, 2009, The Collegian reported that Fresno State had approved plans to build an aquatic facility set to open in the summer of 2010. But according to the swim and dive team’s news page, the scheduled completion date for the new pool is now Feb. 2011.

While in front of the aquatic center’s construction site, a sample of Fresno State students were asked at random if they knew about the project. Only a few had an idea of what the project was and why it was being built. Most students said they knew nothing of it.

One reason why students don’t know about the project is that there is a green zoning fence surrounding the site that limits the visibility of the center’s ongoing construction.

Cassandera Settle, 20, said she was unaware of the project’s specifics, but had a strong opinion when she was told of the facility’s cost to the school.

“Everyone is wasting their money on things that don’t need to be done,” Settle said.

Settle wasn’t the only person who felt it was going to aversely affect students financially. A majority of the students interviewed felt the project, and any other major project, would result in higher tuition for students in the future.

Associate Vice President for Facilities Management Robert Boyd explained that money from this type of project does not affect tuition.

“These types of projects are funded through bond sales,” Boyd said.

On average, the California State University (CSU) system has hundreds of millions of dollars that go towards all of the different projects for the 23 CSU’s. Projects are decided based on their level of priority. Priorities are broken down based on an individual university’s needs, and whether the project can be funded or not, Boyd explained.

The aquatic center was designed with several different committees and it worked directly with Fresno State’s kinesiology and athletic departments. Both departments will be most affected by the new facility.

Kinesiology major Sean Chamberlain, 23, was one of the few students who knew something about the aquatic center. He explained that by being involved in kinesiology, he hears about projects related to the department.

Chamberlain, a weight-lifting instructor and a current graduate student in the sports psychology master’s program said most of his classes are located near the aquatic center’s development site.

Photo courtesy of Taylor / Teter Partnership

On the other hand, he doesn’t really know what is going on in other departments or other buildings on campus. He feels that a better system of communication that would connect different departments with important information would be a positive thing for students.

Senior Lisa Dutcher, a business accounting major, was not surprised that most students were unaware of the project. Personally, Dutcher was not interested in the aquatic center.

“I’m not into the athletic arena,” she said. “It doesn’t pertain to me because I’m not in that circle.”

Associate Director of Facilities and Events Jon Kriebs works directly with the Fresno State department of athletics.

Kriebs explained that the project went forward for two main reasons. First, the girls swim and dive team was reinstated and the pool on campus did not meet NCAA regulations. This has forced the swim and dive team to commute to Clovis North High School and use their pool for practice and competition.

Second, the pool has reached such poor conditions that it is not financially advisable to continually maintain.

“The pool in the North Gym is in need of considerable upgrade for even the basic use it is having right now,” Kriebs said.

“It’s going to be a beautiful addition to the campus, period,” added Kriebs. “Bob Boyd did an excellent job on the design of this pool.”

Most students interviewed in front of the construction site said they would probably use the pool if it were open to them.

“I’m from Santa Cruz and being able to use this facility would be great,” Chamberlain said.

Other students were less interested.

“I would not use the pool. I’m just here to study and go home,” Dutcher said.

The new aquatic center will provide a place for the swim and dive team to conduct practice and host meets, while also being made available to students taking water related classes. Whether students know about it or not, the center is set to be in use by next year.