Theatre Wesleyan fans will be able to see performances for free this semester, thanks to the Student Government Association.

The SGA voted Friday to set aside $2,500 for student tickets to theater productions this semester. The Student Theatrical Experience Fund goes into effect immediately. The vote came during the semester’s first SGA meeting.

William Wick, SGA treasurer, believes the bill is a phenomenal idea.

“This money goes directly to buying tickets, supporting an organization on campus and then all those tickets go directly to the student body,” Wick said.

Setting aside money for student tickets is similar to a fund that provides free tickets for Broadway shows, said theater department business manager Jacob Rivera-Sanchez, who requested the $2,500.

“This was designed after Theater Development Fund that is currently known as TKTS,” Sanchez said. “If you have seen a Broadway show, there is a TKTS booth where the Theater Development Fund has paid for an allotted amount of ticket sales for the public.”

Wesleyan President Fred Slabach was the meeting’s guest of honor. He discussed upcoming plans and goals for the university.

“We have 530 students living on campus,” Slabach said. “That’s the largest number in the history of the university.”

With Wesleyan at capacity for students living on campus, Slabach said that plans were being made about a possible new 100-bed housing facility that could be open by the fall of 2018.

Slabach also talked about Wesleyan acquiring several store fronts and plans to attract businesses to them.

“We heard students wanting a pizza and beer place or a specialty coffee place,” Slabach said “I’d love to see a Braum’s, because I love ice cream.”

Slabach said a new women’s lacrosse coach will be hired by next semester. He also said that a new stadium for soccer, football and lacrosse will eventually be constructed on the west side of the campus next to the Claudia Stepp Scene Shop.

The university has raised half of the $20 million needed to build a new university center, Slabach said. He asked the SGA to help create a presentation to showcase some of the architecture and ideas for the center.

“We hope to start construction in 2017,” Slabach said.

The SGA also passed a bill that will give organizations money for attending SGA meetings. Groups and individuals will be rewarded for staying at least 45 minutes, beginning with the Sept. 9 meeting.