A water fountain and foot-washing station could be placed by the sand volleyball courts pending a review by the finance committee of Student Government Association, an SGA executive officer said.
SGA Vice President Jackie Wheeler said the new water fountain and foot-washing station would be outside the University Recreation Center. The unit also could have a shower nozzle on top to wash off sand from the court.
She said the water fountain was still being designed so it would look good on campus.
Wheeler said members of the Campus Advancement committee allocated $6,000 for the project, but the entire cost of the water fountain had not been determined.
She said she was confident the bill would pass the finance committee’s review.
Wheeler said the cost of the project could fluctuate up or down depending on where the water fountain was placed by the new courts. The courts were torn down last year during the renovation of nearby Milton Daniel Hall and rebuilt after the residence hall’s completion.
Chris Goates, a University Recreation Center employee, said he thought the water fountain would be good for the volleyball courts.
“It sounds like a great idea,” Goates said. “Of course people are going to get thirsty while they’re out there, and of course their feet are going to get sandy.”
Junior marketing major Monique St. Pierre said she agreed the water fountain was a good idea because of the nuisance of sand, but she said the courts also needed a fence.
“On the far court, by that little hill by [Milton Daniel Hall], the ball always goes down there, so it’s just a hassle,” St. Pierre said. “A fence would be better, but if we don’t have that option, then OK, we’ll go with a water fountain.”
Wheeler said she hoped water fountains could also be added at the intramural fields on campus. She said the main concern for the project was the cost and the lack of piping at the fields.
She said that if the water fountain were to cost less, SGA would get its money back. If the water fountain were to cost more, she said that the University Recreation Center would cover the rest of the cost.
The campus advancement committee already passed a bill this semester that allocated $20,000 to bring two live horned frogs to campus.
Along with these projects, Wheeler said the members of the committee also wanted to provide free Scantron sheets in the library.
“Teachers are making us take the tests, so we might as well not pay to take them,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler said the members of the committee were also working measures to make students more aware of taxi services around campus to get them to places like the airport. She did not specify what those measures would be.