By Dan Altman
UHCLIDIAN STAFF

The University of Houston-Clear Lake held the opening ceremony for the new student services building Nov. 19. One of the most influential people along the way has been Sue Fellman, UH-Clear Lake's coordinator of student life.

As the president of the Student Organizations Forum,which evolved into the Student Government Association, Fellman helped to conduct numerous surveys to determine the need for the new building back in 1990. One of the biggest factors that pointed toward construction of a new facility was overcrowding for both students and faculty.

"We had to hold classes at [Clear Lake] high school," Fellman said.

Unfortunately, in April of 1990 the state declined to provide money for the building, but the committee and Fellman remained adamant in reaching the goal of adding a new facility.

In 1994 Fellman, now a UH-Clear Lake staff member working on her master's degree, and the committee got the approval to plan and design the building.

Architects were approved in April of 1995, and in May of 1996 the building design was completed. Unfortunately, in January of 1997, the committee was handed another disappointment; the state legislature denied UH-Clear Lake funds to build the facility.

"We endured a lot of highs and lows," Fellman said. "We felt we really had justified the need to build the new building."

In January of 1999, UH-Clear Lake went back to the state legislature. This time money was given not to build the building, but to complete planning. Finally in June of 2001 the state gave UH-Clear Lake the money to build the new student services building.

"I have been 12 years of the process," Fellman said. "It's very exciting, I will be an occupant."

"Sue has been very instrumental in this process, and has been the number one person that has been in it consistently since 1990," said Darlene Biggers, Director of Student Services. "She has seen it from multiple perspectives as both a student and staff member."

Construction of the building should take place in December, while the official groundbreaking ceremony will occur Feb. 21, 2003. Fellman said they plan to occupy the building in the fall of 2004.

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