With no increase in student fees, students are at ease

This archived article was written by: Benjamin Waldon

Although the student fees in the state of Utah have been raised by almost one percent, the College of Eastern Utah dodged the bullet by reallocating its funds.
Through many hours of requests and recommendations, on March 9, 2007, the Utah State Board of Regents made the decision for CEU’s student fees to be changed, not raised.
Student fees, which are $170.80, are used to fund a multitude of student services such as: student center, alumni, museum, radio, SUN center, campus police, newspaper, intramurals, game room, student ID, ASCEU, BDAC, health and wellness, computers and the super activity.
The fees are also used to relieve the debt caused by the dorm and student center bonds. However, considering most of the $3.2 million dorm bond was paid during this year’s legislature, the regents decided to reallocate $12 to other student services.
Therefore the amount of fees for the Burtenshaw bond is changed from $32 to $20. The fee for student ID has also been lowered by $4.25 and is now 75 cents, bringing the total reallocation of funds to $16.25.
There were five other areas that received this $16.25. Computers received the highest raise with $7.25. A new fee has been suggested and added this year by the student fee allocation committee, the CEU president, and the regents.
This new fee is called the legacy fund and according to the student fee allocation committee in a document released in 2007 it, “proposes … this fee is to be used each year to provide something to improve the campus. The ASCEU executive board is to decide what the next year’s money is to be used for. Next year the money will go towards purchasing a marquee to put in place of the current marquee. This will define the campus more and help to inform the community of college events.”
This new fund will receive $5 from student fees next semester. ASCEU leadership was next in line for the biggest raise in fees, and will receive $2 more. ASCEU leadership fund was raised from $36.50 to $38.50.
The recognition fund also received a bump from the regents and is set to receive $1.30; the fee went from 75 cents to $2.05. According to the student fee allocation proposal, the recognition fund is, “established for any individual, club, or organization on campus who qualifies for a state or National Competition.” The document also states, “this fund will be based on an annual proposal presented to the recognition fund committee (ASCEU Executive Board).”
The lowest amount of the $16.25 reallocated is 70 cents and is to be given to The Eagle newspaper. The newspaper fund will be increased from $3.70 to $4.40.
The other amounts include: student center operations, alumni, museum, radio, student center bond, SUN Center, campus police, intramurals, game room, BDAC, health and wellness, super activity; all remained the same.
Besides CEU’s fees being part of the lowest in the state, CEU administration decided to not ask for a second tier tuition raise, however first tier tuition was raised by four percent during legislature as a standard for all public higher education institutions.
These amounts, although ultimately decided by the board of regents, is influenced by two factors. The first step is a committee through ASCEU called the student fee allocation committee. Departments and areas of the school have representatives propose ideas to the committee and the committee organizes student fees to what they see fit.
After their ideas are written in a proposal, they take their proposal, which is called the student fee allocation proposal, to the institution’s president. The president reviews the subject and changes what he/she feels is necessary.
The president then takes the suggestions he holds to the board of regents, who then makes the final decision on what the fees should be.