Where do our student fees go?

This archived article was written by: Katie Felice

As the 2015 fall semester approaches, student fees are looking to be similar to the previous year’s prices, but with a slight increase. The previous year, fees totaled to $235. This upcoming year’s fees are set to have a $15 increase, totaling to $250.
To evaluate students fees, four ESA students, along with advisor, Evette Allen, make up a committee where they hold meetings to discuss applications for department funds and determine what is needed.
The finalization of student fees is a process that goes on over the course of a few months. The ESA student committee begins holding meetings in November and December. Their busiest month is January, where they meet once every week to organize and decide what needs are most necessary and whether money should be applied there.
The student committee must have their work sent over to the budget committee by Feb. 1, where Vice Chancellor Greg Dart and a team of others make the final decisions where they will either approve or appeal the request for fees.
For the Price campus, the total will be $250. The amounts for each category that make up that total include: building fees $55, institutional support $25, student services $62.75, athletics $37, and EUSA $70.25. Each category had some departments that had slight increases and decreases.
All of the fees are basically going to the same places, and the amounts have hardly changed. The reason for the $15 increase is, “because of the student center bond” says, Allen. Last year, the fee for the Student Center Bond was $38. This year, that amount has increased by $17 and is now $55.
Slight increases in fees also occurred because of the addition of three new categories. Next year USU Eastern will have a debate team. The other two departments that have been added to the fees list were child care and the multicultural association.
Compared to many other universities across the state, USUE’s fees are very low. For 2015-2016 Utah State University’s student fees are $1,046.26. The University of Utah’s total fees are $1,067.28, Weber State $883.32, Southern Utah University $721.50, Snow College $396.00, Dixie State $712.00, Utah Valley University $708.00 and Salt Lake Community College $438.50. In comparison to USUE’s fee of $250.00, most other colleges around the state nearly double or triple in student fee prices.