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by JEFF KOEHLER
News Reporter
The Appalachian State University Fee Committee voted Thursday to recommend a proposed $405 in fee increases for the 2009-10 school year.
Tim Burwell, vice provost for Resource Management, said the fee increase proposals will now pass down along a chain of command.
“We are simply a recommending body,” Burwell said. “The recommendation, once we have it, will flow to [Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock].”
 Graphic by Chrisan Tolentino |
The fee increases
include $100 for a debt service fee for Plemmons Student Union, a $100
increase to standard meal plans, an increase of $42 for Health
Services, a $30 increase for Appalachian Athletics Department fees, a
$25 increase for the textbook rental system, and an $8 increase for
transportation.
Robert
K. Feid, financial manager of Student Development, presented a revised
fee of $100 for housing, having cut $50 from the committee’s previous
fee increase proposal by removing free landline phone service in
on-campus housing.
“I
received notification at [4 p.m. Thursday] from [Housing and Residence
Life Director] Tom Kane that they are recommending to do away with the
telephones in lieu of the fact that they would have a reduction of a
potential operating cost increase in the amount of $50,” Feid said.
He said students would be able to pay an additional fee if they wanted landline access in their dorms.
The Athletics Department fee was a source of debate at the meeting.
Philip
P. Schneider, Student Government Association treasurer, said in
conjunction with SGA President David Mofford and the SGA cabinet, he
felt the Athletics Department fee should be reduced to $15, with $5 for
operating costs and $10 for capital expenses.
“Every
year for the past two years, Athletics said they need more funding for
Title IX, which would basically mean equal funding for underfunded
programs,” Schneider said. “Why hasn’t this been fixed in the past
since every year it keeps coming back?”
Jay S.
Sutton, associate director of Athletics, said the $30 increase was
justified, and gave the university’s relatively new softball program as
an example of a program that required equitable funding.
He said
the program, which began in 2000, now has a field and is installing
lights, and continues to provide scholarships for its athletes across
the board.
Christina
M. DeStefano, public administration graduate student, said she felt the
Athletics Department deserved the requested fee increase because of the
recognition their programs have brought to Appalachian.
“They
bring huge publicity to our school,” she said. “If it weren’t for us
winning national championships, let’s be honest, we would not have the
growth in our student body that we’ve had.”
All of
the budget proposals created at previous meetings were approved
unanimously with the exception of the textbook rental fee, which passed
with 10 in favor and one abstaining, and the Athletics Department fee,
which passed with seven in favor and four opposed.
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