SGA OKs new fee

By: David Fitzgerald

Posted: 2/16/05

The Student Government Association saw two resolutions on student fees at Tuesday's meeting, tabling one to next week and approving a new $7 per credit hour fee.

The new fee, the Facilities Enhancement and Life Safety Fee, will be levied only on incoming students and pay for Western Illinois University to install sprinkler systems in all residence halls.

Illinois House Bill 4361, also referred to as the Fire Sprinkler Dormitory Act, requires that post-secondary educational institutions to install fire sprinklers in all dormitories by 2013. According to Vice President for Student Services Garry Johnson, the cost to "sprinkle" Western's residence halls would run between $7 to 9 million. The Fire Sprinkler Dormitory Act also included a loan program to help pay for the sprinkler upgrades, but the loan program was not funded.

The fee will only be applied to incoming students to uphold Western's Cost Guarantee and will cost them each $105 per semester based on a 15 credit hour schedule. Johnson said Western estimates making about $600,000 from the fee in its first year.

SGA passed the resolution by consent, but the fee will not be official until the board of trustees approves it later this month.

Jose Marroquin, Latin American Student Organization senator and sponsor of the fee resolution, said the state put Western in a tough place with the unfunded mandate.

"It's the law and this money has to come from somewhere," Marroquin said. "It's a matter of safety."

Addressing the senate at Tuesday's meeting, Western President Al Goldfarb said many other universities have similar fees, which he termed infrastructure fees.

Goldfarb added that once the sprinklers have been paid for, money raise by the fee would go toward other "significant" projects, such as a new cultural center.

Student Tenant Union senator Aaron Stoecker said he knows Western needs to come up with the money to comply with the law, but expressed concern that the fee will continue indefinitely.

"My only concern with this is the additional projects," Stoecker said.

He added that the administration should re-evaluate the fee after paying for the sprinklers.

Fellow STU senator Erick Cavada disagreed with Stoecker, saying he thought making the fee permanent would benefit the university.

Cavada, a LASO member, said the fee would help alleviate Western's dependence on the state for funding for a cultural center.

"This is a very reasonable bill," he said. "(Paying) $7 per credit hour is not much for such things as a cultural center."

SGA tabled the referendum for next year's student fee increases until next week's meeting to allow senators to take the proposal to their constituents.

As it stands, the resolution calls for a 6.84 percent total increase in student fees for next year's incoming students. This increase would amount to a $37.50 raise from the fees levied on this year's incoming students, making the Fiscal Year 2006 student fees $616.35 based on a 15 credit hour semester.

When broken down, the proposed increases based on a 15 credit hour schedule are as follows:

* Council on Student Activities Fees: $2.25

* Talent Grant: $1.05

* Health Center: $1.20

* Athletics: $3.90

* University Union: $7.40

* Campus Recreation: $6.25

* Publications: $0.40

* Computer: $10.05

* Transit: $4.95

Like the Facilities Enhancement and Life Safety Fee, the proposed student fee increase must also be passed by the board of trustees.