If it seems like students are paying more this school year, it’s not an error. Student fees have increased. Last semester, fall 2018, students began paying their two cents for the new Aquatic Center, except it’s actually a $20 increase. Back in Feb. 2018, a total of 1,086 students voted “yes” on approving and financing an aquatic center and expansion of the Student Union.

The campaign #OURNEWSU promised that the aquatic center would begin construction immediately.

According to the CSUB website, if passed the Student Recreational Center Aquatic Facility would begin construction immediately.

When it was passed, CSUB sent out a press release stating “planning for the construction of the SRC Aquatic Facility, which will be located in the current dirt lot on Kroll Way across the street from parking lot K2 and next to the SRC soccer field, will begin immediately, and the timeline for completion will be determined after construction begins.”

Mary O’Mahoney, director of the Student Recreation Center, wrote in an email that the construction of the aquatic center is still being determined and there is no estimated date of when the project will be finished. Currently, money collected is being held in a university fund.

According to O’Mahoney, what has been accomplished so far is creating the fund and project number and they have “started the process of securing a vendor for the feasibility project.”

She also stated, “A lot of things need to happen prior to an actual construction project beginning on any college campus.”

The features of the Aquatic Center will include student recreation pool with lap lanes, concessions area, showers, lockers, a pool deck with shaded seating, outdoor event space, operation space, and water-based Group X classes and intramurals.

Many students will no longer be enrolled at CSUB when the construction is finally finished; however, O’Mahoney wrote in an email stating that “students will be able to access the aquatic facility for as many semesters as they paid the fee after they graduated.”

For students graduating at the end of this semester, that will mean that students have the opportunity to come back to CSUB and use the aquatic center for at most, two semesters.

As of now, construction has not begun for the new aquatic center.