MinerAlert
MinerAlert
Vote YES on the Union Referendum
Currently enrolled students can vote on Monday, September 16 at 12:00 am through Thursday, September 19 11:59 pm. Students may access the ballot by logging onto MineTracker at https://minetracker.utep.edu/. Access to voting is through the banner displayed on the home page.
Students must click "Vote" after completing the ballot for their submission to count.
As the hub for student life, the 75-year-old facility no longer meets the needs of a vibrant, 24,000+ student population. Increasing the Union fee will enable UTEP to tear down and replace the Union West building and upgrade the interiors of the Union East building. A new facility means more study and collaborative spaces, additional food service areas, pool, ping-pong and esports gaming stations. A new more modern facility will be available to all students and fully accessible to students with disabilities.
UTEP’s Student Union, a small portion of the existing Union West building, opened in 1949. The building had already become outgrown by 1955, and the first expansion opened in March 1959, completing what is now Union West. Demand for space continued to grow, and in 1969 a second building opened which would become Union East. A further addition to the east wing was completed in 1981, bringing the Union Building to its current total of 228,804 square feet.
After a comprehensive review by facilities services professionals, the cost of ongoing repairs, deferred maintenance and renovation to the Union West building would cost more than demolition and replacement. After a number of focus groups and feedback from Town Hall meetings, Miners have asked for a more modern, accessible, student-centered facility that could include some of the following:
Exterior Concepts
Interior Concepts
The current $30.00 per semester Union Fee would be increased incrementally over the next three years.
$70.00 per term
$35.00 summer
$120.00 per term
$60.00 summer
$150.00 per term
$75.00 summer
Since the Union Fee was implemented in 1988, it has not been increased. The fee is insufficient to finance construction of a new Student Union West building and renovate the interior of the Student Union East building. By law, no other sources of funding (i.e. tuition and tax revenues) can be used to finance this type of project.
Students who receive financial aid may be eligible to have the increased Union Fee covered by their grants, scholarships, loans or work-study.
A Union Fee increase would be contingent upon a majority vote by students participating in a general, open election. Fees collected would only be used for financing, constructing, operating and maintaining the proposed new Student Union West building and upgrade the interior of the Student Union East building.
Friday, Aug. 23 | 8 PM - 12 AM
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Monday, Aug. 26 2024 | 7 PM - 9 PM
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Wednesday, Aug. 28-29 | 10 AM - 1 PM
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Tuesday, Sept. 3 | 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
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Sept. 10-11 | 9 AM - 12 PM | Centennial Plaza
Sept. 12 | 8-10 AM | UTEP Library
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Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 5:30 PM | Tomás Rivera Conference Center (TRCC)
Stay tuned for additional special events.
Monday, Sept. 9 | 12 PM - 1 PM
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Tuesday, Sept. 10 | 11:30 AM - 1 PM
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Tuesday, Sept. 11 | 11:30 AM - 1 PM
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Thursday, Sept. 12 | 11:30 AM - 1 PM
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Friday, Sept. 13 | 11:30 AM - 1 PM
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Monday, Sept. 16 | 11:30 AM - 1 PM
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Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 11:30 AM - 1 PM
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Wednesday, Sept. 18 | 11:30 AM - 1 PM
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Thursday, Sept. 19 | 11:30 AM - 1 PM
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Union West: Shaping the Future of UTEP Together
Hello everyone, I am Edgar Loya and serve as your Student Body President for the Student Government Association. As we continue to strive for excellence and community at UTEP, I am thrilled to introduce a Union fee Referendum to construct a new Student Union West building and upgrade the interior of the Union East building - a step towards providing our vibrant, inclusive, and student-centered community a modern facility for all students.
Your role as students
This Referendum is a collaborative effort, and its success hinges on your support and involvement. The building of a new Student Union West is built on the principle that every student’s voice matters. By voting 'yes' in the upcoming Union Referendum, you are not just approving a new building—you are endorsing a brighter, more dynamic future for all Miners, present and future.
What are the next steps?
We invite every member of the UTEP community to learn more about the Student Union West and Referendum, participate in the discussions, and cast your vote. I welcome you to look around this website and learn as much as you can. Together, we can turn this vision into a reality that will serve as the heart of campus life for generations.
The new Student Union West was designed with input from you—the students. The building will feature advanced facilities tailored to your needs and desires. From expanded dining options and modern study lounges to spaces for socialization and student organizations, the new Student Union West will embody the spirit and diversity of our Miner family.
Let’s build the future of UTEP together—vote 'yes' for the Union Referendum!
The current Union West was built in 1949. Although the building has undergone renovations since then, a new building is needed to support the infrastructure and technology that students expect and require for their academics, student organizations and activities
The new Student Union West would enhance the overall campus experience by providing more collaborative spaces for students or student organizations to gather, new dining options, a game room, enhanced technology, a large ballroom and more outdoor, shaded seating.
Texas legislature prohibits state dollars from supporting campus auxiliary functions like the Union West.
The current student fee for the Union, which is applied to all students, is $30 per semester and $15 in the summer. The Union fee would increase incrementally over the next three years:
The current fee was approved by UTEP students in 1998 and has not been adjusted since then. In the two plus decades since the current fee’s approval, the needs of students have evolved – from the type of space that best facilitates social activity to the quality of technology students need. The current fee does not cover the cost of these needs in a new building.
The Union fee is used to finance the construction, operation and maintenance of all Union Services facilities; the buildings are open and operating all year long. Once implemented, the fee would remain.
The work is projected to begin in 2028 and take two years to complete.
The Dean of Students Office, Student Engagement and Leadership Center, Career Services and Student Support Services Program would be relocated to other office spaces across campus. The offices, dining services, Student Health and Wellness Center and the Cinema in Union East would not be affected by the construction of a new Student Union West.
The new facility would be designed with sustainability in mind. Sustainability initiatives that would be explored include energy efficiency, solar power, natural shading and environmentally-friendly building materials.