No fee increase without support

By RACHEL KRAMER
and JAMES McECHERON

The MHCC Student Senate Wednesday heard a proposal to approve a student fee increase.
Speaking on behalf of the Finance Council was Marci Husby, ASG director for finance. According to Husby, the request came in light of cuts during the Finance Council meetings.
“We had about $55,000 in additional requests from the programs we fund this year,” she said. “We had to say no.”
Also present during the meeting was Gary Murph, MHCC chief operating officer. Murph presented his and MHCC President Robert Silverman’s thoughts on the proposal and suggested what the district board would want to see if the proposal was sent before them.
“I would recommend that if you do go forward with the proposal to increase, that it be well supported and that it also be moderate,” he said.
Murph did not suggest what amount would constitute a moderate proposal.
“This is not to say that you should not go ahead with your proposal, but you need to look at it carefully,” he said.
Richelle Willey, SAB performance and entertainment coordinator, doesn’t agree with the fee increase. “They might want to do it for good reasons,” she said. “But personally I don’t want to pay more.”
Many students, however, support the idea.
Debbee Pace, a nursing major, said, “It’s less than I spend on a cup of coffee. Look at intermediate and elementary schools and what they’re losing. We don’t have to be in that position.”
An education major named Craig Meyers said, “Schools are suffering right now, so maybe an increase in fees will get people more interested in supporting schools.”
“The dollar increase will go a long way in covering the school’s costs,” said Husby. “That dollar will add up among each student. We haven’t raised the fee in years, but with the cost of things increasing we feel this is appropriate.”
Husby said the dollar would keep MHCC from losing programs in the next terms. “After us, the decision has to be made by two more boards,” she said. “If they do not pass the dollar increase we will have to cut programs [funded by the activity fee.]”
According to the MHCC Student Fee Budget, without the increase MHCC will be short over $55,000 in the 06-07 school year. “We don’t want to charge people more,” said Husby. “The fee increase is out of desperation.”
The Student Fee Budget funds all athletics, ASG, Student Activities Board, KMHC Radio Broadcasting Programs, Perceptions, Forensics, The Advocate, Venture Magazine, and special programs and events, such as women’s history month and the Chako kum-Tux Kanawaksooma Celebration. The money also goes towards miscellaneous requests by clubs and organizations thoughout the fiscal year.
There has only been one student fee increase in 16 years – 50 cents – which occurred in the 1998 to 1999 academic year.
“The board is very interested in the total amount the students pay,” Murph said. “And we do know the board is interested in positioning the college so that the fee represents an advance for the college and the students in competition The MHCC Student Senate Wednesday heard a proposal to approve a student fee increase.
Speaking on behalf of the Finance Council was Marci Husby, ASG director for finance. According to Husby, the request came in light of cuts during the Finance Council meetings.
“We had about $55,000 in additional requests from the programs we fund this year,” she said. “We had to say no.”
Also present during the meeting was Gary Murph, MHCC chief operating officer. Murph presented his and MHCC President Robert Silverman’s thoughts on the proposal and suggested what the district board would want to see if the proposal was sent before them.
“I would recommend that if you do go forward with the proposal to increase, that it be well supported and that it also be moderate,” he said.
Murph did not suggest what amount would constitute a moderate proposal.
“This is not to say that you should not go ahead with your proposal, but you need to look at it carefully,” he said.
Richelle Willey, SAB performance and entertainment coordinator, doesn’t agree with the fee increase. “They might want to do it for good reasons,” she said. “But personally I don’t want to pay more.”
Many students, however, support the idea.
Debbee Pace, a nursing major, said, “It’s less than I spend on a cup of coffee. Look at intermediate and elementary schools and what they’re losing. We don’t have to be in that position.”
An education major named Craig Meyers said, “Schools are suffering right now, so maybe an increase in fees will get people more interested in supporting schools.”
“The dollar increase will go a long way in covering the school’s costs,” said Husby. “That dollar will add up among each student. We haven’t raised the fee in years, but with the cost of things increasing we feel this is appropriate.”
Husby said the dollar would keep MHCC from losing programs in the next terms. “After us, the decision has to be made by two more boards,” she said. “If they do not pass the dollar increase we will have to cut programs [funded by the activity fee.]”
According to the MHCC Student Fee Budget, without the increase MHCC will be short over $55,000 in the 06-07 school year. “We don’t want to charge people more,” said Husby. “The fee increase is out of desperation.”
The Student Fee Budget funds all athletics, ASG, Student Activities Board, KMHC Radio Broadcasting Programs, Perceptions, Forensics, The Advocate, Venture Magazine, and special programs and events, such as women’s history month and the Chako kum-Tux Kanawaksooma Celebration. The money also goes towards miscellaneous requests by clubs and organizations thoughout the fiscal year.
There has only been one student fee increase in 16 years – 50 cents – which occurred in the 1998 to 1999 academic year.
“The board is very interested in the total amount the students pay,” Murph said. “And we do know the board is interested in positioning the college so that the fee represents an advance for the college and the students in competition with PCC and CCC, but they are also very interested in keeping the cost to the student low.”
The MHCC tuition rate for in-state students is $67.50 per credit hour, a technology fee of $3 per credit hour for up to 15 credits or $45, and a student activities fee of $1.50 per credit hour for up to 15 credits or $22.50.
This is compared to the PCC in-state tuition rate of $64 per credit hour, a technology fee of $4 per credit hour for up to 15 credits or $60, and a student activities fee of $1.25 per credit hour for up to $18.75.
At CCC, in-state tuition is $56 per credit hour with a general fee of $4 per credit hour for up to 15 credits or $60. This general fee is a combination of a technology fee and student activities fee.
According to Cami Bishop from the Sylvania ASPCC office, the PCC student activity fee is used to fund student programs, representation, services and activities. Their student activity fee does not go towards athletics.
The CCC general fee supports many CCC student activities, including athletics, childcare, new technology and student government, according to the CCC website, www.clackamas.cc.or.us.