An MU student fee increase was approved by the UM System Board of Curators at the Feb. 2 and 3 meetings, despite the fact that no legislation was brought to MSA senate by the Student Fee Review Committee, as per the bylaws.
The total fee increases for MU is $11.16, or a 2.9 percent increase, according to data provided by the Board of Curators. This increase includes the student activity fee, recreation activity and facility fee and the health service fee. Student fees increase by 0.78 percent for fiscal year 2012.
According to article 6.31 section B6 of the MSA bylaws, should the SFRC recommend a fee increase or decrease, such recommendations shall be sent to the MSA Senate in the form of a resolution for consideration.
SFRC is a committee made up of MSA senators and representatives from the Graduate Professional Council charged with serving as a liaison between students and the administration regarding student fee increases.
MSA Senate Speaker Jake Sloan said the reason no legislation was brought to senate was because MSA and GPC are in the process of changing the way SFRC operates. It will no longer be an MSA committee and any student may serve as a member.
Although SFRC is in the process of changing from an MSA and GPC council committee, for the fall 2011 semester, the committee was required to adhere to the MSA bylaws. SFRC failed to bring legislation to senate for approval.
After the MSA Senate on Wednesday, Budget Committee Chairman Clark Maynard said the increases were passed by the Board of Curators but, to his knowledge, no legislation was brought to senate regarding the fee increases.
According to chapter 2.7 section A4 of the bylaws, the budget committee must bring SFRC’s recommendations to the senate for consideration.
A portion of student fees are devoted to student activities, so some of the funds go directly to MSA.
“It’s a conflict of interest if MSA is approving the student fees because they are receiving the student fees,” Sloan said.
Sloan said Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Cathy Scroggs is changing the committee to give all students an opportunity to serve. Scroggs created the committee.
“The changes are being made so that all students can apply to be on SFRC, not just MSA and GPC,” Sloan said.
The increased fees will go into effect during the summer 2012 session.
The student activity fee will increase by 3.4 percent, or an additional $5.45 per semester. This fee covers various campus organizations, including student government, sports clubs, student unions, the MU Counseling Center, Jesse Auditorium and parking garages.
The recreation activity and facility fee will increase 1.8 percent, or $2.41, which only reflects an inflationary increase of the operations portion of the fee.
The student health fee will increase by 3.5 percent, or $3.30. The total student fee for fiscal year 2013 will be $398.74, from $387.58 in fiscal year 2012.
