Daily Egyptian Politics Editor

Undergraduate Student Government may bring some closure to concepts discussed within the Student Senate the past two semesters when it meets to discuss shared governance and positions on fees tonight.

Though bills addressing the proposed athletic fee increase and Select 2000 have mentioned the importance of shared governance at SIUC, Mike Ruta, College of Applied Sciences and Arts senator, is proposing that USG follow the lead of the Graduate and Professional Student Council and Faculty Senate, who passed resolutions asking administration to adhere to a more consistent system of shared governance.

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Ruta, echoing sentiments of other student government members, said the University currently is selective in the way it approaches the concept of shared decision making.

As of right now, the school’s concept of shared governance is not definite, he said. On some things, they listen to us, and others they don’t.

We want to reinforce what GPSC is laying down and kind of stick it to [the administration].

Ruta, a candidate for student trustee, cited the SIUC chancellor search, Select 2000 and the proposed athletic fee increase as examples of the University discounting the collective student opinion.

Select 2000, for example, basically was stuffed down our throats. Our resolution opposing Select 2000 to them was nothing, he said.

In other business, USG will discuss six fee-related resolutions advocating increases in the Student Center, mass transit, student medical benefit primary care, athletic, housing and campus recreation fees in addition to a resolution calling on the senate to formulate an opinion on all fee proposals.

The bills make a statement to the senate, says their author, Evergreen Terrace Senator Chet Lunsford.

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The point is that there is a concrete cost to the Athletic Department’s request for funding, he said. I’m not saying I support any of those fee increases.

Lunsford, who has opposed the proposed increase in the student athletic fee, said his resolutions demonstrate how a large fee increase in one department constricts the University, because of its self-imposed, 3-percent cap on tuition and fee increases.

I just want to demonstrate that one large fee increase means money will be taken away from other student services, Lunsford said.

USG will meet at 7 p.m. at the Carbondale Civic Center, 200 S. Illinois Ave.