Students to pay more fees
Student/incidental fees will see an increase after the senate ends session, budgeting
Majeed Badizadegan
Issue date: 4/4/07 Section: News
For the 2007-2008 school year students will have a bigger bill from Oregon State University due to an 11.3 percent increase in student incidental fees.
The total amount students were required to pay in fees during the 2006-2007 was $296.15; next year the fees will rise to $329.67.
Allison Jenness, chair of student incidental fees committee, attributes the raised fees to mandatory increases.
Fees for counseling, student health services and building maintenance increased for the next academic year.
The Student Incidental Fees Committee is an integral establishment where many decisions regarding student fees are made.
"Fee Preparation Budget Guidelines are overlooked by the University," Jenness said. She said SIFC must consider these budget guidelines - among many other factors when determining fees.
Jenness discussed the influence of mandatory increases and how these affect decisions regarding fee increases.
"We will accept all OSU fee guidelines," Jenness said.
Jenness said some of the biggest reasons for fee increases are "inflation, building maintenance, and increased demand from program's like 'Escape Hunger.'"
Jenness said an example of building maintenance costs increase SIFC must deal with is the cost for the MU building maintenance because it was not properly up to fire code and had to be corrected.
"Some of our biggest costs are minimum wage and travel expenses," said Michael Newgard, a senior and business finance major and chair of the educational activities committee.
Newgard said its also because of the rising cost of gas and how it affects the budget that SIFC must provide to groups. "Fuel (costs) always affect how much a group is going to request."
Newgard also said increasing minimum wages affect fees.
"Every year the student fees are going to rise with increased minimum wages because of the many students employed in the OSU bookstore and other facilities on campus," he said.
Jenness explained that SIFC is "technically considered an auxiliary budget" to OSU.
"Auxiliary," Jenness said is "anything not tied to an academic department."
Since SIFC is an Auxiliary department, Jenness said, "(SIFC) must pay OSU assessment fees to the state government."
These fees increased from $27,000 to $57,000 in one year. Both Newgard and Jenness agreed that expense jumps such as these strain programs already in place and leave the committee with few choices but to raise fees for the next year.
"In order not to cut programs already in place, SIFC must raise fees," Jenness said.
Considering major budget cuts that limit the flexibility of the committee, it is hard to please everyone on campus. Newgard brought up a recent notable cut, "The Student Affairs Budget was cut by over $1,000,000."
Among inflation, building fees, rising fuel costs and budget cuts, SIFC must adjust fees accordingly, adhering to all OSU budget guidelines.
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CORRECTION:
The OSU Bookstore is in no way funded by student or incidental fees. The bookstore is an independent, non-profit organization.
A source of the story incorrectly stated that increased wages for OSU Bookstore employees is one of many reasons for increased student fees.
The Barometer regrets this error.
The total amount students were required to pay in fees during the 2006-2007 was $296.15; next year the fees will rise to $329.67.
Allison Jenness, chair of student incidental fees committee, attributes the raised fees to mandatory increases.
Fees for counseling, student health services and building maintenance increased for the next academic year.
The Student Incidental Fees Committee is an integral establishment where many decisions regarding student fees are made.
"Fee Preparation Budget Guidelines are overlooked by the University," Jenness said. She said SIFC must consider these budget guidelines - among many other factors when determining fees.
Jenness discussed the influence of mandatory increases and how these affect decisions regarding fee increases.
"We will accept all OSU fee guidelines," Jenness said.
Jenness said some of the biggest reasons for fee increases are "inflation, building maintenance, and increased demand from program's like 'Escape Hunger.'"
Jenness said an example of building maintenance costs increase SIFC must deal with is the cost for the MU building maintenance because it was not properly up to fire code and had to be corrected.
"Some of our biggest costs are minimum wage and travel expenses," said Michael Newgard, a senior and business finance major and chair of the educational activities committee.
Newgard said its also because of the rising cost of gas and how it affects the budget that SIFC must provide to groups. "Fuel (costs) always affect how much a group is going to request."
Newgard also said increasing minimum wages affect fees.
"Every year the student fees are going to rise with increased minimum wages because of the many students employed in the OSU bookstore and other facilities on campus," he said.
Jenness explained that SIFC is "technically considered an auxiliary budget" to OSU.
"Auxiliary," Jenness said is "anything not tied to an academic department."
Since SIFC is an Auxiliary department, Jenness said, "(SIFC) must pay OSU assessment fees to the state government."
These fees increased from $27,000 to $57,000 in one year. Both Newgard and Jenness agreed that expense jumps such as these strain programs already in place and leave the committee with few choices but to raise fees for the next year.
"In order not to cut programs already in place, SIFC must raise fees," Jenness said.
Considering major budget cuts that limit the flexibility of the committee, it is hard to please everyone on campus. Newgard brought up a recent notable cut, "The Student Affairs Budget was cut by over $1,000,000."
Among inflation, building fees, rising fuel costs and budget cuts, SIFC must adjust fees accordingly, adhering to all OSU budget guidelines.
CORRECTION:
The OSU Bookstore is in no way funded by student or incidental fees. The bookstore is an independent, non-profit organization.
A source of the story incorrectly stated that increased wages for OSU Bookstore employees is one of many reasons for increased student fees.
The Barometer regrets this error.
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