Board of Regents approves fee for continued development of KSU’S sports park
New fee will support Phase II development, and current construction of an 8,300-seat soccer…
Georgia (Jan 13, 2010) —
New fee will support Phase II development, and current construction of an 8,300-seat
soccer stadium, adding to campus life
KENNESAW, Ga. (Jan. 13, 2010) — The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia yesterday approved a new
student fee at Kennesaw State University that will support the development of Phase
II of the new KSU Sports & Recreation Park.
In addition, the fee also will support construction of the new 8,300-seat soccer stadium
currently being constructed within the sport park, which was announced in early December
of last year. Upon its completion, the park will include as many as seven competition
fields, 4,683 feet of nature and hiking trails, sand volleyball courts and a 12-acre
lake.
The first phase of the park –– which features two state-of-the-art synthetic-turf
fields and the 16,000-square-foot Owls Nest indoor training facility –– was completed
and opened in late September.
“As an athlete myself, I know first-hand how important recreational facilities are
to a dynamic campus life, and to fostering life-long relationships among students,”
President Daniel S. Papp said. “We are committed to providing first-class facilities
here at KSU to meet the recreational and fitness needs of our expanding student population.”
The $35 per semester fee will go into effect in the fall semester of 2010, Papp stated. Even
with the addition of the new fee, KSU has some of the lowest charges for student fees
among the universities that comprise the University System of Georgia.
“At the university level, the approval process maximized student input,” Papp explained.
“Based on feedback received through five forums that were conducted with the student
body, along with an online survey, KSU’s Student Government Association unanimously
approved the fee, as did the university’s formal Student Fee Committee.”
The new comprehensive recreational complex – located on 88 acres of land at the corner
of George Busbee Parkway and Big Shanty Road in Kennesaw – will help the university
overcome a significant shortfall of acreage to accommodate the recreational and intramural
needs of the university’s 22,300 students.
“We subscribe to a holistic strategy for educating our students,” said KSU Vice-President
for Student Success and Enrollment Services Jerome Ratchford. “This new Sports and
Recreation Park is enabling us to better address students’ needs, specifically those
relating to recreational sports and physical activity, which are just as vital as
their academic needs.”
Prior to completion of Phase I of this project, KSU had only a 1.7-acre field on the
main campus for its 22,300 students. Many club teams had to practice in fields as
far away as Woodstock and Alpharetta for lack of facilities.
In the past three years, the university’s intramural and club sports program has experienced
more than a 30 percent increase in participation. Basketball and softball are among
the most popular intramural sports at KSU; lacrosse and rugby are the most popular
club sports.
Unlike varsity sports, which are governed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) and are very competitive, intramural and club sports are more accessible to
all students. About 2,200 KSU students participate in intramural and club sports ––
about six times as many students playing NCAA sports –– and that number is expected
to increase dramatically with the new facilities.
The new stadium also will be home to the Atlanta Beat Women’s Professional Soccer
team, in a partnership between the KSU Foundation and that newly formed team, which
also was announced in a press conference at KSU in early December.
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Kennesaw State University is the third-largest university in Georgia, offering more
than 70 graduate and undergraduate degrees, including new doctorates in education,
business and nursing. A member of the 35-unit University System of Georgia, Kennesaw
State is a comprehensive, residential institution with a growing student population
of more than 22,300 from 142 countries.
A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the second-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 126 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
