Student fee increase earns favorable reception

By JILL AHO and RACHEL KRAMER

The proposed student fee increase was presented to the board Wednesday, with support from students, staff and College President Robert Silverman.

Representatives who presented the student fee increase proposal were Shannon Gray, the ASG diversity coordinator, Marci Husby, the ASG director of finance, Brandon Drawz, the associate athletics director, and Stephen Emery, the ASG president.

Husby explained there is an expected shortfall for next year. The athletics program is expected to have to dip into the general fund to make up an approximate $75,000.

The proposed increase would provide an approximate amount of $88,000 to both athletics and co-curricular, allowing athletics to be fully funded.

Husby also said the increase would focus on expanding services in three areas on the co-curricular side. She said the ASG would like to hire a recruiter to visit local high schools, work with the MHCC Foundation to provide need-based scholarships for childcare and to staff the Health and Wellness Center with a full-time employee. The center is currently staffed four hours a day, and is paid for by the ASG.

Silverman said, “We de-funded the wellness center during the last round of cuts.”

Silverman said the administration supported the $1 increase to student activity fees with the intention that athletics would be fully funded.

Husby was confident after the presentation. “I think they’re probably going to go for it,” she said. “I’m feeling really positive about it.” She said efforts of the programs funded by the ASG directly affect 1,000 students and indirectly affect approximately 7,000 students on campus.