The Graduate and Professional Student Association urged the Board of Regents to carefully review student surveys before approving construction of the new recreation center at the regents meeting on May 12.
The GPSA council passed a resolution on May 11 asking the Board of Regents to conduct another survey before proceeding with plans for the center.
The Regents approved more research on the feasibility of the recreational center, including how it will be financed.
GPSA council chairman Danny Hernandez said the first survey was self-selecting in that those who did not fill out the survey are those most likely to disapprove of it.
"They have not done an honest random sample to determine if students want to financially support the rec center," he said.
GPSA president Lissa Knudsen said she thought the Board of Regents would be receptive to their concerns, because they care what students think.
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"I think they will make sure that the survey is well-researched," she said.
Knudsen said she did not think a new recreational center was necessary during these economic times.
"I would prefer that this money go to something that directly supports academics," she said.
Graduate student Travis McIntyre said although a new recreation facility would be useful, he does not have a problem with the current facilities.
"It is like you have a Ford Explorer that works fine, and you want to go buy a brand new Excursion," he said. "It has a few miles on it, but it's still running and it works fine."
Former ASUNM president Ashley Fate said at the regents meeting that the survey was sent to every student via e-mail. She said ASUNM received responses from 3,263 students, with the majority of the responses in support of an increase in student fees.
"Once students saw what they were getting for their money, they were not opposed to an increase in fees," Fate said.
Regents President Raymond Sanchez expressed concern over data in the survey, pointing out that the survey asked students to approve a $75 increase in student fees per semester, not the proposed $117.
He said data confirming student approval of fees over $75 came from focus groups, not a survey of the entire student body.
McIntyre said he was concerned when he found out the fee would not be covered by scholarships and would come out of students' pockets.
"I can afford to pay it, but I know a lot of people that can't," he said.
Hernandez said UNM's main mission should be to educate New Mexicans, and students can't pay for a new state-of-the-art recreational center.
"Creating more roadblocks for people who can hardly afford to go to school is not the way to get more students to attend UNM," he said.
