The Minnesota Student Association adopted a resolution Tuesday to oppose any tuition increase of more than 2 percent for the 1999-2000 school year.
MSA President Nikki Kubista authored the resolution, which passed 20-15 at the association’s first open forum of the school year.
Despite student protests, the Board of Regents passed a 3 percent tuition increase for this school year during their June meeting.
The association, which is a consultative body, doesn’t directly make decisions about tuition increases. It can only make recommendations to the Board of Regents.
Tuition is one of MSA’s three major initiatives. Kubista said recent drops in interest rates should strengthen their argument for an annual tuition increase of no more than 2 percent.
Joe Skupnewitz, a representative of the Disabled Student Cultural Center, opposed the resolution. He said the resolution provided no substance, and did not provide a plan of action on behalf of MSA or the undergraduate student body.
Despite Skupnewitz’s criticism, the forum voted to adopt the resolution.
The forum also addressed a resolution to sponsor a Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender panel discussion on campus during the week of Oct. 11th for “National Coming Out Week.”
“It’s a good thing to put their name on, a positive way to advertise MSA. We need to do more goodwill-type things,” said Student Senate Consultant Committee chairman Ryan Falk.
Kubista wants to co-sponsor the event with the Queer Student Cultural Center.
The remainder of the forum was spent discussing the forum’s 1998-99 executive budget request proposal.
Kubista said she wants to change students’ apathetic view of the association. Kubista wants to form partnerships and coalitions between campus organizations to better serve the interests of the students.
“The more students we get talking about issues, the more we know MSA is doing its job,” Kubista said.