The Student Representative Assembly has voted 23 to 1 in favour of extending,for an extra year, the undergraduate student levy for the new University Centre.

The extended levy will help cover an increase in construction costs to build the centre. Tenders for the project came in $3.4 million above the $26.3-million construction budget.

Students will be paying the levy until 2012. Most full-time students currently contribute about $80 on average annually to the University Centre.

Burke Christian, president of the McMaster Student Union, is pleased with the vote. “I am glad that the SRA is willing to take a path that would make the University Centre a building that will be attractive and meet the needs of students for years to come.”

The centre — which will provide a social and service headquarters for students — is being financed by the students and the University (through private donations).

The student centre's groundbreaking takes place on March 29 and construction is slated for completion before the end of next year.