Members of the Coalition Against the Recreation and Wellness Center held a silent protest Wednesday afternoon during a meeting between President Robert Corrigan and Associated Students Inc.

Sixteen CARWC members entered the meeting on the fifth floor of the Administration building and stood silently against the wall to increase visibility for the CARWC, according to organizer senior Sam Brown-Vasquez.

Some held signs with messages for ASI such as "Schools not pools." Some wore duct tape over their mouths to signify their lack of voice in the issue.

"Our presence here was not meant to attack ASI but to show them that students do have a voice and we want to be heard," said 21-year-old CARWC member Henry York. "That's what our silence signified."

On Aug. 26, the Student Fee Advisory Committee voted unanimously to use an alternative method for approving the proposed recreation center that will not involve allowing students to vote. This move may increase student fees as much as $160 per semester.

"We want to let the president and ASI know we're disappointed in the way they've been handling the process of increasing our fees," Brown-Vasquez said.

The meeting went along as planned, as CARWC members stood silently holding their signs until it ended.

After the meeting, ASI members debated the rec. center issue with CARWC members in the building lobby after they rode the elevators down together.

"I like to hear stuff like this because I do hear from the other side's people who do want the rec. center," said ASI Sophomore Representative Travis Northup of the conversation in the lobby.

CARWC members were happy with the result and said they felt that it was handled professionally.

Krystale Triggs, a 24-year-old anthropology major, said she hopes the display gathered some attention.

"It's a step," Triggs said. "Another little baby step."

Read more about the issue of the rec. center