UTEP student union renovation bill advances in Texas legislature
KFOX14
[{'start': '0.320', 'end': '5.680', 'text': 'on campus with plans underway for a new'}, {'start': '3.600', 'end': '7.440', 'text': 'student union. Hey everyone, thanks for'}, {'start': '5.680', 'end': '9.360', 'text': "being with us. I'm Robert Olin and I'm"}, {'start': '7.440', 'end': '11.360', 'text': 'Jessica Gonzalez. The Texas House has'}, {'start': '9.360', 'end': '13.599', 'text': 'passed a bill paving the way for the new'}, {'start': '11.360', 'end': '15.360', 'text': "building. K Fox 14 News at 5's Christian"}, {'start': '13.599', 'end': '17.680', 'text': 'Andrade spoke with students and UTIP'}, {'start': '15.360', 'end': '20.000', 'text': 'officials about how it will impact'}, {'start': '17.680', 'end': '22.880', 'text': 'student tuition.'}, {'start': '20.000', 'end': '24.800', 'text': 'The idea for a new union building'}, {'start': '22.880', 'end': '27.279', 'text': 'actually came from the students.'}, {'start': '24.800', 'end': '29.760', 'text': 'According to UT, back in September, more'}, {'start': '27.279', 'end': '31.920', 'text': 'than a thousand students voted in favor'}, {'start': '29.760', 'end': '33.600', 'text': "of the process. Here's what some of them"}, {'start': '31.920', 'end': '35.760', 'text': "have to say now that it's one step"}, {'start': '33.600', 'end': '38.719', 'text': 'closer to happening. I think it would be'}, {'start': '35.760', 'end': '40.239', 'text': 'a good new fresh look for the campus. I'}, {'start': '38.719', 'end': '42.079', 'text': "think it's a great expansion. I just"}, {'start': '40.239', 'end': '43.440', 'text': "don't think it's necessary. For future"}, {'start': '42.079', 'end': '45.200', 'text': "generations, I would say that it's"}, {'start': '43.440', 'end': '47.120', 'text': 'needed and eventually that change would'}, {'start': '45.200', 'end': '48.559', 'text': 'need to get done. I mean, there are'}, {'start': '47.120', 'end': '50.800', 'text': 'other buildings that might need that'}, {'start': '48.559', 'end': '52.559', 'text': 'more than Union. According to UTEP, part'}, {'start': '50.800', 'end': '53.800', 'text': 'of the Union Building has been around'}, {'start': '52.559', 'end': '56.239', 'text': 'since'}, {'start': '53.800', 'end': '58.239', 'text': '1949. The UTEP Student Government'}, {'start': '56.239', 'end': '60.239', 'text': 'Association wanted to find out if'}, {'start': '58.239', 'end': '61.600', 'text': 'students wanted a renovation. We had a'}, {'start': '60.239', 'end': '62.879', 'text': 'weekl long elections where students were'}, {'start': '61.600', 'end': '64.720', 'text': 'able to go ahead and cast their votes in'}, {'start': '62.879', 'end': '67.560', 'text': 'favor or against, and it it passed and'}, {'start': '64.720', 'end': '70.240', 'text': 'here we are today. Today, House Bill'}, {'start': '67.560', 'end': '72.400', 'text': '2853 passed through the House. The bill'}, {'start': '70.240', 'end': '74.720', 'text': 'would allow UTB to renovate the Union'}, {'start': '72.400', 'end': '76.080', 'text': 'building, but renovations can be pricey'}, {'start': '74.720', 'end': '78.720', 'text': 'and the money has to come from'}, {'start': '76.080', 'end': '81.200', 'text': "somewhere. the uh UT system can't use"}, {'start': '78.720', 'end': '82.720', 'text': 'money um aside from student fees for the'}, {'start': '81.200', 'end': '85.119', 'text': 'construction of a new student union.'}, {'start': '82.720', 'end': '88.479', 'text': 'Currently, students have a union fee of'}, {'start': '85.119', 'end': '90.159', 'text': '$30 a year. If House Bill 2853 passes'}, {'start': '88.479', 'end': '92.960', 'text': 'through the Senate and gets signed by'}, {'start': '90.159', 'end': '95.040', 'text': 'the governor, the union fee paid by UT'}, {'start': '92.960', 'end': '97.280', 'text': 'students would increase incrementally'}, {'start': '95.040', 'end': '101.439', 'text': 'over the next three years. Students will'}, {'start': '97.280', 'end': '103.040', 'text': 'pay $150 by the year 2027 to 2028. After'}, {'start': '101.439', 'end': '104.479', 'text': 'some research, we realized if students'}, {'start': '103.040', 'end': '106.079', 'text': "are under financial aid, they're fully"}, {'start': '104.479', 'end': '107.680', 'text': 'covered. the majority of our students'}, {'start': '106.079', 'end': '110.000', 'text': 'here on UTP are under the paid promise.'}, {'start': '107.680', 'end': '111.520', 'text': "So that's a financial aid package and it"}, {'start': '110.000', 'end': '113.840', 'text': 'just made sense. The student fee'}, {'start': '111.520', 'end': '115.759', 'text': 'increase should be enough to to cover uh'}, {'start': '113.840', 'end': '117.200', 'text': 'the demolition of the old facility and'}, {'start': '115.759', 'end': '119.119', 'text': 'the construction of the new one. While'}, {'start': '117.200', 'end': '121.680', 'text': 'financial aid would cover the increase'}, {'start': '119.119', 'end': '123.520', 'text': 'in student fees, it still had some mixed'}, {'start': '121.680', 'end': '124.960', 'text': 'reactions among students I spoke with.'}, {'start': '123.520', 'end': '128.080', 'text': 'If it makes the campus better, then'}, {'start': '124.960', 'end': '130.160', 'text': 'sure, why not? I think the increase to'}, {'start': '128.080', 'end': '131.360', 'text': 'create those changes is dumb. Anything'}, {'start': '130.160', 'end': '132.560', 'text': 'that comes with like increasing your'}, {'start': '131.360', 'end': '134.480', 'text': 'quality of life is going to have a cost'}, {'start': '132.560', 'end': '137.840', 'text': "to it. So, it's it's a good cost, I"}, {'start': '134.480', 'end': '139.840', 'text': 'feel. While House Bill 2853 passed'}, {'start': '137.840', 'end': '141.280', 'text': 'through the House today, it still needs'}, {'start': '139.840', 'end': '143.760', 'text': 'to pass through the Senate before any'}, {'start': '141.280', 'end': '146.319', 'text': 'plans get made. Lawyer says if'}, {'start': '143.760', 'end': '149.680', 'text': 'everything goes well, they hope to start'}, {'start': '146.319', 'end': '151.680', 'text': 'planning by fall of 2026. Reporting from'}, {'start': '149.680', 'end': '155.680', 'text': "UTEP's campus, Christian Andrade, KO"}, {'start': '151.680', 'end': '155.680', 'text': 'Fox14 News at 5.'}]