USU Admisistration Needs to be "Simmonized"

I propose the outrageous idea that all members of the faculty, administration, hall monitors, tutors and playground assistants be required to attend and successfully pass Professor Simmons' Law & Econ class.

Taste the ill-flavored logic in today's edition of the Statesman.

Due to decreases in enrollment at Utah State University, students may be paying for several unavoidable increases in fees during the 2005-06 academic school year. Of the different university entities that receive money from fees, students may see increases in athletics, building, Student Health and Wellness Center, music and theater and bus fees. Members of the Student Fee Board heard proposals from each entity Tuesday whether to increase or keep fees the same. However, almost every entity is trying to offset the deficits from decreases in enrollment this academic year. "The bottom line is I didn't anticipate as much of a decline in enrollment," said Tiffany Evans, director of Student Involvement and Leadership Center who is in charge of the student activity fee. "We will not be asking for an increase; we will be able to handle this internally.” However, some areas of the university were not as fortunate. Clint Moffitt, associate vice president for finance, said they have no choice but to propose a $3.50 increase per semester for building fees for students with 10 or more credits. “I wish we could say we're going down and not increasing anything, but that's not happening," Moffitt said. The university is required to maintain coverage of a bond for the Spectrum, but decreased enrollment has offset that. There may also be a $1 increase for the music and theater fee to help fund the Aggie marching band. “We are anticipating an increase of some sort," said Felicia Horsley, ASUSU HASS senator. "We felt if it was a small fee that would be only a portion of what the band is in need of.” Although there may have been an increase for the computer fee, Spencer Watts, Academic Senate president, said there will be other changes made to compensate for lack of funding. The athletics department is also looking to receive a $5 increase per semester. But it is unsure whether the Student Health and Wellness Center fee as well as the bus fee will be increased and by how much. Those proposing fee increases will present their reasoning for the increase in late January and the Student Fee Board will vote on the increases in February. Students with questions about the fee increases can contact the Student Fee Board President Justin Atkinson at ombudsman@cc.usu.edu.

Areas receiving increases are athletics, building, Student Health and Wellness Center, music and theater and bus fees. Let's look at these and see if a better solution could be had.

Athletics: Get rid of the fee and sell tickets. I only attended half of the home football games and the majority of the basketball games. All this for $200 a semester?! This fee (or better yet season tickets to all or any sport's season) should be optional at the time tuition is due.

The building fee should, and is, based on the amount of credits taken. I think that this fee should increase as more credits are taken. My logic being that the more credits taken, the more I will use the buildings. It should not be capped off at 10 credits.

Student Health and Wellness Center: I absolutely hate this fee! This if a great example of government imposing laws on the weak just because they feel that is what is best for society. I have only used the wellness center once in my 2 yrs at USU. I hate this fee! This fee should be optional when tuition payment is due.

Music and theater: Include their fee in the price of the ticket at the sporting events.

Bus: Charge a fee of $.25 to students who what to ride the bus. For one student who rides the bus twice a day for a semester the total would be $18.75. That's more than the fee and those who use the buses will pay for it. I use the bus about three times a week (I think it better to live closer to campus and walk, even in the snow, than to pay $.25). This fee of a semester bus pass should be optional at the time tuition is due! I hate this fee!

Other fees that should be added as a pay-as-used basis. Computer lab-My roommate never uses the labs because he has his own laptop. Why should he pay for something he is not using? Raise the price of parking. Activities-add the option of a season pass to all the activities on campus or charge us! This will reduce the cost of tuition and disposable income will fill our pockets.