Students at Missouri University of Science and Technology last week approved adding a $30 per semester capital fee to help pay for an extensive renovation of student recreation facilities.

The referendum passed on Nov. 14 with a 63 percent majority, with a total of 1,750 participating. The recommendation awaits approval from the Board of Curators, the governing board for all four campuses in the University of Missouri System.

“It was exciting to see the students approve the new capital fee in an effort to fund the renovation of our current recreational facilities,” says Andrew Ronchetto, Student Council president and a senior in economics and engineering management. “We have needed these renovations for a long time and now that they are coming, I can’t wait to see them be completed!”

The new capital fee will raise an additional $3 million for phase two of the Student Recreation Center renovation.
Mark Mullin, athletics director at Missouri S&T, shares Ronchetto’s excitement for the student body’s approval.
“It is outstanding to see that our students support the renovation of the recreational facilities,” Mullin says. “Funding for these projects will be an effort that partners our student body, our alumni and our friends. The renovation of the recreational facilities will make a tremendous impact on our campus.”

A total of $2.75 million was previously raised for the renovation of the Student Fitness Center. Earlier this year, the Anheuser-Busch Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the St. Louis-based brewer, pledged $1 million in matching funds to support project. Roger Dorf, a 1965 mechanical engineering graduate of Missouri S&T, and his wife Sandy pledged an additional $250,000 in matching money. S&T students met the match by devoting an existing capital fee for facilities to the project, which allowed the university to finance $1.5 million to start phase one of the project.