Members of the Ultimate Frisbee Club practice on the turf inside of Cole Field House.

Members of the Ultimate Frisbee Club practice on the turf inside of Cole Field House.

After Jonathan Kau read the news about the proposed changes to Cole Field House, the Maryland Club Tennis president had a realization.

“When I looked at the actual plan, I realized, ‘Wow, like, wait a minute, they’re trying to get rid of the tennis courts for these outdoor practice fields,’” said Kau, a junior computer engineering major.

University System of Maryland Student Regent Raaheela Ahmed said it’s not just club tennis that would be affected from these changes, and she fears this proposal could negatively affect several organizations and university programs.

Cole is currently home to organizations such as the Veteran Student Life Office, Asian American Studies Department, Air Force and Army ROTC, Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and the Musullah, the Muslim Student Association’s prayer space on the campus. The facility also hosts intramural sports and group fitness courses with Campus Recreation Services.

With these groups in mind, Ahmed, a senior economics and finance major, proposed an amendment to the Cole Field House renovation plans during the Finance Committee meeting on Nov. 20. After being approved, her changes were added to the proposal:

“The Finance Committee also recommends that with regard to the student groups and activities that will be displaced as a result of the conversion of the Cole Student Activities Building, UMCP shall work with the student leadership and make a good faith effort to ensure that the resultant space needs are met in a timely and cost effective manner.”

Ahmed said she hoped to require the university to complete a preliminary report of strategies for relocating student programs before the full Board of Regents vote in December. During the meeting, however, university President Wallace Loh spoke out against mandating such a report.

“To tie my hands as an administrator, I don’t think that’s a prudent thing,” he said, in response to Ahmed’s request. “But to ask that we make a good faith commitment as we have always, always worked with students — that is something I can accept.”

Ahmed reached out before the Finance Committee meeting to students she said she felt would be directly affected. Patrick Ronk, Student Government Association president, said he urged Ahmed to mention student concerns at the meeting.

“I understand the motivation behind the project, but the university needs to make a commitment to student groups,” said Ronk, a junior government and politics major. “We don’t want to oppose the renovation, but we do want to make sure accommodations are made, and that’s going to be something we pressure Loh and the athletic department on moving forward.”

Ronk said he believes much of the student body is generally concerned about moving forward with the project. With the SGA legislature, Ronk plans to address concerns in the upcoming meetings.

Carlo Colella, administration and finance vice president, was involved with planning the proposal and cited “ample time” to address student needs before construction begins.

If approved, Colella said, phase one of construction would begin after the fall 2015 semester, which would affect the seating bowl itself and the north end of the building. Phase two’s earliest possible start date would be at least a year after that, he said.

“We’re early in the development process still, but the expectation is that we’ll be able to satisfactorily address any displacements,” he said. “Cole wasn’t always what it was today, and I think we have a history of being able to adjust as a university when development is underway.”

But without university officials consulting student groups prior to the proposal, some are left wondering what the changes will mean for them.

Student Entertainment Events, which hosts its annual Homecoming Comedy Show in Cole Field House, could be forced to relocate to Xfinity Center or Ritchie Coliseum in coming years, said Isha Aggarwal, SEE president.

“We don’t want to lose tradition but we need to keep scale at a price we can afford,” said Aggarwal, a senior communication major. “Ideally, we won’t have loss on the talent side or any astronomical change in price in compensating for a venue change.”

As for club tennis, the courts’ relocation is undecided and under review, Colella said.

But for Kau and his 186-member, nationally competitive club tennis team, this indecision is concerning. Kau emphasized the team’s desire to be involved in future conversations with university officials to understand the university’s priorities.

“The tennis courts are a public athletic facility anyone can use: faculty, students, community members,” Kau said. “If they replace the courts with practice fields that are only for the football team, it seems like they’re prioritizing the football program over the majority of students, the student body at large.”