For years student government’s struggle with the fluctuating Student Activity Fee (SAF) has threatened the stability of the programs it funds. This year the senate is proposing a change in the system. Rather than fight to raise the fee every six to eight years they’ve proposed a yearly increase according to inflation rates called indexing.
The indexing of the fee is a wise choice on the part of the student senate. They are partaking in responsible fiscal management by stabilizing their funds while insuring the protection of the services supported by the fee.
The current system requires student government campaign every six to eight years to increase the fee, which dwindles over the years, burning a hole in the value of the dollar as inflation rises. The fee is the sole source of funding a valuable student community.
This fee has many uses and, unraveled, it reveals an entire system of people, relationships, planning and events.
The SAF allows our disjointed student body to come together. If there were no SAF there wouldn’t be a Board of Student Organizations which funds student groups like the Outdoor Club which goes skydiving every year. The Free Press and WMPG wouldn’t provide as much news or music because we couldn’t afford to maintain our staff, and the Gorham and Portland Events Boards couldn’t put on free events like the May Day Craze or Thirsty Thursday.
The funds generated by the SAF and distributed by the student senate make community possible. If you’re a student interested in starting a new student group, all you need is two interested people and the BSO can help you out with startup funds. This type of service is especially important for the Portland campus where there is no centralized dorm life to turn to for community participation
Our community is constantly in danger of lapsing into stagnation because of the instability of the fee. Right now the Student Activity Fee Ad Hoc Committee has two options if they want to maintain their services: index to inflation or increase through a one-time fee. As John Bronson’s story (page one) reveals they’ve chosen to index. This is the wisest long-term decision.
The student senate must overcome a lengthy and time consuming process in order to change the fee. There are many obstacles and it’s not an easy task. The last time the senate tried raising the fee, they failed.
The last time the senate’s campaign spawned success was in ’98. For a few years student groups were sitting on a bloated budget until inflation dissolved their income and panic over the future set in once more. This archaic system ensures instability, which threatens the programs provided.
The senate’s plan to stabilize the fee by changing the system is a good one. Instead of raising the fee by a large amount every six to eight years, which hurts students more initially, they hope to raise it a small percentage each year according to inflation rates. The rate rise for even a full time student only pans out to $5 for the first year and decreases significantly the following year. The increase would be comparable to a sandwich at Punky’s. It’s not much to pay to ensure the stability of a community.
Christy McKinnon can be contacted at [email protected]