UTEP students vote to replace Union West, seek state legislature approval

Students at The University of Texas at El Paso this week voted in favor of a referendum calling for the replacement of the Union West and renovation of the Union East student union buildings.

According to UTEP, 1,171 students voted in favor of the referendum, while 1,098 voted against.

The initiative will now head to the Texas State Legislature for approval.

"Passing this referendum was a collaborative effort and I thank all the students for engaging in the election. The building of a new Student Union West is built on the principle that every student's voice matters. Voters didn't just approve a new building —they are endorsing a brighter, more dynamic future for all Miners, present and future," said UTEP Student Government Association (SGA) President Edgar Loya.

According to various data points on the UTEP SGA , it was determined that completely demolishing the Union West building and constructing a new one from the ground up was cheaper than rehabilitating it.

Following various focus groups and town hall meetings, the new facility will include:

"Our student leadership did a great job and I commend them for a strong start to the Student Union revitalization project," said UTEP President Heather Wilson. "They worked well together, listened to their peers, came up with good concepts that will make the campus better, and explained things well to the campus. I look forward to continuing to work with them to make this project a reality."

If approved by the legislature, the Union fee paid by UTEP students would increase incrementally over the next three years: