Spring Break
Regents set to vote on temporary fee increase
By CAROLYN CRIST The Red & Black
Issue date: 12/3/08 Section: News
The Board of Regents will decide today how to meet 8 percent budget cuts, and it could affect students immediately.
Two ideas under consideration could give the University clearance to tap students for an extra $100 in January.
One proposal is to eliminate policy 704.021 on mandatory student fees, which are paid by all students. The second proposal would institute a temporary, mandatory fee of $100 at research universities, $75 at comprehensive universities and $50 at access institutions.
Under the 704.021 policy, proposals to increase mandatory student fees or create new mandatory fees must be presented to a committee at each Georgia school composed of at least 50 percent students. The executive committee will hold the special meeting on a conference call at 10 a.m. Student Government Association representatives plan to speak with BOR members before they pass the proposal.
"The biggest problem is not if the fee is assessed," said SGA President Connor McCarthy. "It's waiving the 704 policy. We as students have had no voice whatsoever on this. The policy is in place to keep something like this from happening."
McCarthy said there's no way to prevent the fee from becoming a permanent fixture if the 704.021 policy is eliminated.
"Basically what this fee does is substitute for tuition increases, and it's not covered by the HOPE Scholarship that goes to 70 percent of our students because it's not an approved mandatory fee," McCarthy said.
"It'll come from students' pockets, and we know in a budget crisis like now, financial problems are also at home."
McCarthy and several SGA senators will travel to the BOR office in Atlanta today and meet with many of the members of the Georgia Tech Undergraduate Student Government to express concern about the lack of student input on the policy.
More details about the policy will be released following the meeting.
Two ideas under consideration could give the University clearance to tap students for an extra $100 in January.
One proposal is to eliminate policy 704.021 on mandatory student fees, which are paid by all students. The second proposal would institute a temporary, mandatory fee of $100 at research universities, $75 at comprehensive universities and $50 at access institutions.
Under the 704.021 policy, proposals to increase mandatory student fees or create new mandatory fees must be presented to a committee at each Georgia school composed of at least 50 percent students. The executive committee will hold the special meeting on a conference call at 10 a.m. Student Government Association representatives plan to speak with BOR members before they pass the proposal.
"The biggest problem is not if the fee is assessed," said SGA President Connor McCarthy. "It's waiving the 704 policy. We as students have had no voice whatsoever on this. The policy is in place to keep something like this from happening."
McCarthy said there's no way to prevent the fee from becoming a permanent fixture if the 704.021 policy is eliminated.
"Basically what this fee does is substitute for tuition increases, and it's not covered by the HOPE Scholarship that goes to 70 percent of our students because it's not an approved mandatory fee," McCarthy said.
"It'll come from students' pockets, and we know in a budget crisis like now, financial problems are also at home."
McCarthy and several SGA senators will travel to the BOR office in Atlanta today and meet with many of the members of the Georgia Tech Undergraduate Student Government to express concern about the lack of student input on the policy.
More details about the policy will be released following the meeting.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 2
huh
posted 12/03/08 @ 12:23 PM EST
I understand budget cuts and maybe raising student fees during this economic hard time. I know that the University is cutting some of the health insurance for employees, but I wonder if it is fair to shave a little percentage off of their salaries, especially the high paid ones. (Continued…)
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