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| SGA president, senators
object to fee increase |
David Forbes
SGA Beat
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Jacque Lenz | The Appalachian SGA senators Jamian C. Polk,
Ian A. Mance and Stacie D. Harris sort through the fee increase
proposal brought before them Tuesday evening.
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Various Student Government
Association senators and cabinet members, as well as President Ryan
M. Eller, expressed deep misgivings about a proposed increase in
athletic fees.
The proposed $55 increase would pay for renovations and expansion
of Owens Field House, Kidd Brewer Stadium and Varsity Gymnasium.
“I think my reaction is similar to many in the student body,
especially non-athletes; this brings up a lot of questions about
where our priorities lie,” Eller said Tuesday. “To target
athletics for a fee increase at a time when class sizes have increased,
building projects continuously ongoing, part-time faculty have been
lost, sections have been closed, tuition increased enormously and
when out-of-state students are paying $16,000, I question whether
this should be a number one priority.”
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Eller
said much of the student opinion on the subject had been strong.
“I
have been overwhelmed with the number of students who are fairly
irate that this fee is being asked of them when they feel they’re
not going to benefit. Out of the hundreds of students I’ve
talked to, only two said it would be appropriate at this time,”
Eller said. “I think this fee is in direct conflict with some
of the other needs of the students and honestly I don’t know
how much more hits students can take for things we don’t need
at this time.”
Last week Howard R. Schreiber, senator from East Residence Hall,
said he liked the plan for renovations, but had reservations about
how many students it would benefit. By Tuesday, his opinion had
changed after speaking with his constituents.
“In East Hall there’s a pretty diverse group of students,
and if they all have the same view, the rest of the student body
must be feeling the same way. I am definitely opposed to this increase,”
Schreiber said. “That’s a lot of money they’re asking
us to pay, and it doesn’t seem like this is that needed. Only
in the renovation of the Varsity Gym would anyone but the football
team benefit.”
“The gym does need renovation, a lot of organizations practice
there, and it’s definitely out of date,” off-campus senator
Malcolm J. Smith said Tuesday. “But right now is not the appropriate
time to raise [fees]. We’ve got to prioritize. Money needs
to go for rape kits, or the library. I don’t think the gym
needs renovation that badly.”
“We haven’t really talked about any definite legislation
yet in my committee, as not enough information has come out yet.
From listening to senators I can definitely see [legislation] happening;
people are not going to approve this,” said Amy E. Greer, director
of student affairs, Tuesday. “It’s pointless to expand
the stadium at this point, we can’t even fill the seats now.”
Eller also said he felt the process of asking for fees at Appalachian
was flawed, and he would be proposing a new student fee policy.
“The most frustrating thing for me right now is not the actual
athletic fee that’s being proposed, it’s our fee process,”
Eller said. “It is my belief that a student fee needs to be
generated by the students. At other universities in the UNC system,
students have much more input. Currently there is no vote taking
place, and no measure where students are allowed the level of voice
they need to have.” |
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