Why double the student activity fee? For students, every dollar counts, and agreeing to double the fee will take some convincing.
The fee funds activities approved by the Student Activity Fee Committee. If students don’t already know, those enrolled in 12 credit hours pay $12, $24 if the fee doubles.
That’s a few days’ lunch money or enough ramen for a few weeks. Administrators and trustees probably can’t remember being so poor. That’s because their tuition wasn’t as large a percentage of their income as it is today.
Students deserve a say on more fees and how the money is spent. The board agreed, so an ACES email survey is scheduled March 1-7.
As student representatives, SGA needs to take an active role in informing students of the proposal doubling the fee. It was SGA’s idea so they better be able to demonstrate a benefit.
Let’s see a plan. Don’t ask for a bump of more than $1 million just because.
Any student can name a few services they wish would return to campuses that will help them finish their degrees. What does the Student Activity Fee Committee plan to do with double the funds that will be so beneficial to students? And how many students?
What about evening and summer students? Why should they pay double the fee? Few events or activities are available to them.
Loftin Student Center and the cafeteria closes by 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 5 p.m. Friday. With the exception of a monthly coffeehouse night and outdoor movies on one of students’ busiest workdays, activities rarely occur after hours.
Sending an email survey asking students to hike the fee another dollar isn’t enough. The students who will actually read it probably won’t be convinced and some won’t even understand. Emails don’t get students’ attention; don’t expect it to capture a vote.
Getting out and talking to students will tell you what they value and need and what they are willing to pay for and why.
It’s also SGA’s responsibility to represent students’ opinion of the fee increase — and let it go if students aren’t interested — and how activity funds should be spent.
