Every year along with a tuition payment comes the additional, not-so-cheap charge of student fees.
For the 2008-2009 school year, student fees come in at $282 for all students enrolled in 7 or more credits — an increase of $18 over this year’s $264. With UVSC’s current head count at 21,450, that makes for total student fees amounting in the millions of dollars.
Where does all of that money go, and who decides what to do with it?
The responsibility of breaking down the fees goes to student government.
"Student Fees are decided by the UVUSA council," said Trevor Tooke, School Spirit Chair and next year’s VP elect. "We have a couple of presenters that come in during our council hours on Thursday. They present for 15 minutes and can bring in any kind of facts, numbers or handouts. Through discussion with them, with the advisors, and with the 25 students on council, we look at past years, the current year, the needs, and then our budget." "If it doesn’t get the two-thirds vote that it needs to pass, then we definitely re-think it, play with the numbers a little bit. The executive council comes back with a proposal, and then the rest of the council votes on that proposal," said Tooke.
Student fees are distributed to a variety of programs: student programs, buildings, athletics, the union building, One Card, computers, transportation, insurance, the Wellness Center and the writing and math labs.
According to Tooke, some of the changes from student fees for this next year include the Student Heath Center being able to hire a full-time doctor who would be able to give out prescriptions, the One Card becoming more advanced, and for the transition of some UVSC to UVU logos.
The student center is also bonded, and since 1972 when students pledged revenues for the construction of the building, student fees have gone into the paying off of bonds required to construct the building.
"We decide what is need versus want, what is growth versus desire. We had a good diverse council this year, and I think we came up with the best numbers," said Tooke. "I really do."
"President Sederburg, of course, came in to present at the very beginning, kind of gave us an idea of how we are doing, and how we need to do this year," said Tooke. "I think percentage wise we are looking at a 3 percent increase this year in student fees; in past years it has gotten up to 16 percent. So we’re on the lower end of things this year."
With money from student fees going to everything from printer paper in the computer labs to the MAWL and Wolverine Wednesdays, not taking advantage of these services and events is like burning money.
