Students voted in support of a Rec Sports Master Plan that will significantly upgrade campus’ heavily used recreational sports facilities. The ASM Spring Elections were held from March 3-5 with a final vote of 12,070-1,914, accounting for 34.4% of the total campus. The project includes the construction of a new SERF, Natatorium and two outdoor playfields over the next eight years.
“We are incredibly appreciative of students’ efforts and involvement in this plan,” says John Horn, director of the Division of Recreational Sports at UW-Madison. “Students initiated this plan last year and have had an opportunity to be involved at every level as it moved forward. This vote indicates that students value the benefits of recreation on campus and envision a better UW-Madison experience for future Badgers.”
Construction could begin in 2016 with the Near West and Near East fields expected to be completed in 2016 and 2022, respectively. The new SERF could open in 2019 and new Natatorium in 2021.
Students’ segregated fees will increase by no more $108 per semester to fund the Master Plan and the first increase in fees is scheduled to occur once a new facility opens in 2016-2017.
The plan is estimated to cost approximately $223 million. In addition to student segregated fees, funding sources include a combination of gifts, the state, UW Athletics and Rec Sports program revenue.
“We pledge to continue engaging students and maintaining transparency as this project moves forward,” Horn says.
Rec Sports had more than 1.7 million visits by users in 2012-13, including 83 percent of the student body.
“Rec Sports would like to express our most sincere gratitude to all of the outstanding and passionate students and campus members that were involved with and supported this plan, in particular the Badgers for Recreational Reform,” Horn says. “They put in tireless work to present the best possible plan to the student body, and obviously their efforts have paid off. This truly is a plan for and by the students at UW-Madison.”
More information and updates about the Master Plan will be posted to this blog throughout the process.
The Master Plan. 
How can you quantify that “This vote indicates that students value the benefits of recreation on campus and envision a better UW-Madison experience for future Badgers” when only 34% of the more than 40,000 students attending this school participated in this election?
We did not quantify the statement, only assumed that if students did not support or share those values, the referendum would not have passed. We are grateful for the vision exhibited by students who did participate in the vote and continue to welcome student feedback as the plan moves forward.