Student Fees

[bdan2002]

Hello all,

I just wanted to give people some background about student fees. First, since I was the Student Government President in 2001-02 that had the whole fee fiasco, I just want to clarify some things. First, the BOR does not have student fee authority. The SGA can pass any student fee, at anytime, without student body approval. Since they are seen as the official voice of the student body, they are able to raise student fees. That is why the health center fee had to be passed by SGA, if the union fee needs to be raised, the SGA has the power to do any of that without going to the students.

As for the Athletic fee, originally, it was going to be:

To increase the current Student Service Fee by $4.50 per credit hour, per student for each semester of the regular and the summer session for each student enrolled at the University of North Texas. This fee will be capped at $67.50 or 15 hours. A of $3.50 of the fee will be used for the purpose of operating, maintaining and improving the NT Athletic Department, current women’s programs and future sports and $1.00 will be dedicated to facility improvements - this money can only be spent if approved by the Athletic Director. This fee will be assessed during the early registration period for Fall 2002 classes. The fees authorized to be levied are in addition to any use or service fee or hereafter authorized to be levied.

This would have been about $15.00 per student - so for the fall and spring semester alone, this fee would have brought in $900,000 - which would have been earmarked for a new stadium.

It was though that it would pass easily, but did not - so we modified the fee and took out the $1.00 for the stadium and passed just the $3.50 part of it.

So, if the student government wanted to pass a $1.00 per credit hour fee for students to go to a new stadium, they could do it by the middle of March.

[Cerebus]

It is my understanding that the BOR can play semantics games and have a fee passed. Calling it a Facility Fee or some such.

[shaft]

Doesn't the SGA have to hold an open vote not just a representive vote to raise fees?

I still say the best idea is to have the SGA vote to extend the current building fee that being used for health center so that when it retires the debt on it's current projects it could be used in the future to fund the stadium.

[Cerebus]

Doesn't the SGA have to hold an open vote not just a representive vote to raise fees?

I still say the best idea is to have the SGA vote to extend the current building fee that being used for health center so that when it retires the debt on it's current projects it could be used in the future to fund the stadium.

Those aren't short term bonds that are on the health center.

[Cerebus]

Just did find out some intresting info.

The bond package was approx. 33,860,000 and costs came in ~3,000,000 under that.

The three million dollars was then earmarked for "student recreational capital projects".

1.4 million of that 3 million was spent to construct the tennis center.

No idea if the other 1.6 has been spent, but if it hasn't, I would imagine it could be used for a new stadium if rec sports was allowed to use it.

[bdan2002]

Doesn't the SGA have to hold an open vote not just a representive vote to raise fees?

I still say the best idea is to have the SGA vote to extend the current building fee that being used for health center so that when it retires the debt on it's current projects it could be used in the future to fund the stadium.

The SGA needs a 2/3 vote of those present and voting to implement a fee. That is what we did when added the athletic fee. They do not need a vote of the student body.

[the real grad88]

The SGA needs a 2/3 vote of those present and voting to implement a fee. That is what we did when added the athletic fee. They do not need a vote of the student body.

Do it! Maybe we should get passed our latest losing ways and let Dodge ball have its effect and then SGA do what it needs to do. We need a Mean Green lobbying arm to meet with the SGA officials. How is that for a switch? Gray hairs meeting with young people to lobby them for money!

[UNTFan23]

Wow, what a ride that was.

I can proudly say, I was one of the few that wasn't removed from my seat for voting in favor of the fee increase. I think all COBA Senators managed to keep their seats that voted in favor of the fee.

Strangely enough, no one said anything about the President of SGA, who had veto power but never used it. Water under the bridge though.

[bdan2002]

Wow, what a ride that was.

I can proudly say, I was one of the few that wasn't removed from my seat for voting in favor of the fee increase. I think all COBA Senators managed to keep their seats that voted in favor of the fee.

Strangely enough, no one said anything about the President of SGA, who had veto power but never used it. Water under the bridge though.

I was the president of SGA, what are you talking about veto?

[UNTFan23]

I was the president of SGA, what are you talking about veto?

As part of the checks and balances, I believe the president has the ability to veto a bill [in SGA], correct?

I tried to research this, but the SGA website (or rather ... blog) doesn't have the governing documents available for public consumption. I think it was part of the constitution.

[bdan2002]

As part of the checks and balances, I believe the president has the ability to veto a bill [in SGA], correct?

I tried to research this, but the SGA website (or rather ... blog) doesn't have the governing documents available for public consumption. I think it was part of the constitution.

Yes, as SGA president, I had veto power over any bill that was passed in the senate - but not things that were passed by the student body. Is that what you are talking about?

[UNTFan23]

Yes, as SGA president, I had veto power over any bill that was passed in the senate - but not things that were passed by the student body. Is that what you are talking about?

No, the smaller student fee that was passed by the Senate.

[bdan2002]

No, the smaller student fee that was passed by the Senate.

Why would i have vetoed the smaller bill? It was the last session of the semester and there would have been no athletic fee at all if i would have vetoed that. i guess i am confused.

[UNTFan23]

Why would i have vetoed the smaller bill? It was the last session of the semester and there would have been no athletic fee at all if i would have vetoed that. i guess i am confused.

Just pointing out that everyone focused on the senators who did vote on it and no one mentioned the president who didn't veto. I knew you'd never veto the bill since you authored the original. Like I said though, water under the bridge.

I think the veto for the SGA president is perhaps the one power that is rarely used. I think since you left, there has been maybe one or two bills that have been vetoed.