Hundreds of students congregated at various public hearings this week, some thanking the Student Services Fees Committee but more scorning it.
The hearings – held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday on both campuses – allowed the University public the chance to comment on the full committee’s initial funding recommendations for student and administrative groups.
Interested parties gave a variety of pleas, most revolving around a lack of funding.
“I feel robbed,” Aaron Quick, a first-year student and Queer Student Cultural Center member, said Tuesday. “You’re only saving $100,000 total; that’s only $3.38 per student. Three dollars and 38 cents shouldn’t be that big of a deal.”
Graduate student Sean McNee addressed the student groups committee Wednesday with a similar proposition to increase fees to cover the costs of nearly everyone that applied for funding.
“For $5 we could fund all of these groups fully. I’m in for $10,” he said.
Other Graduate and Professional Student Assembly members also spoke out against the committee’s decision to reduce funding, pointing out the group acquires fees only from graduate students.
“I’m one of the most conservative people in here and I see a one-third cut in GAPSA funding unconscionable,” Paul Durand said Wednesday.
A number of people came to speak against discontinuing funding The Wake, a student magazine, claiming it deserves at least what it received this year.
“You people will be destroying The Wake. We will not exist next year,” co-publisher James DeLong said Wednesday.
At the administrative unit’s hearings – which covered the recreation center, Boynton Health Service and others – a number of students spoke.
“Friends, fitness and fun,” graduate student Krissy Magelssen said Wednesday on behalf of the recreation center.
“The rec center is the heart and life of the college campus here,” Andrew Worm said.
The hearings were the last chance for public comment. Next week the committees will decide if they will change their funding recommendations.
Final decisions concerning student and administrative groups will be made at the full committee’s deliberations at 4:30 p.m. Friday, March 12 in the President’s Room at Coffman Union.
– Patricia Drey and Ryan Dionne contributed to this report