State may take student fee-funded program money

USG unanimously oppose the looming possibility

The Undergraduate Student Government unanimously supported a resolution rejecting cuts to student-fee funded programs Wednesday.

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Larry Dietz, vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, indicated that student-fee funded programs may be required to cut 8 percent of their budgets, according to the resolution. The state is currently universities to put in reserve 8 percent of their budgets in anticipation of a cut before the end of the fiscal year in three months.

Mary Wallace, College of Liberal Arts senator, co-wrote the resolution. She said because fee-funded programs operate on student fees, it would not be fair to take its money to fill the state’s request.

SIUC’s fee-funded programs include the Athletic Department, the Student Health Programs, the Student Center and Student and Campus Recreation. The University proposed six fee increases that would total $31.90 and would take effect in fiscal year 2005. The student government may vote on the proposals this week.

Dietz called the student body’s action appropriate and said he supports the spirit of the resolution.

“It would be counter to common practice to take money away from fee-funded areas because the fees are generated for specific function,” he said.

It remains a possibility, however, that fee funded activities are tapped because the Bureau of the Budget has not ruled on whether money can come from these areas, Dietz said. The University is waiting on Springfield officials for clarification, he said.

Erik Wiatr, co-author of the resolution, said if the University takes money from student-fee funded programs, students may suffer the most damage.

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Wiatr said the University could take money from the programs as early as this summer, which would have a further impact on students in addition to cuts on summer school courses.

“Students will receive less service for what they paid for,” he said.

The resolution requested that the administration “look to state funded entities within the University to recover the 8 percent requested by the state of Illinois.”

Dietz said the administration should have a more definitive idea on the following issues by early April.

Reporter Jane Huh can be reached at [email protected]