The student activity fee has been a popular item of discussion at recent Student Government Association meetings, and this week was no different. Because they didn’t have enough funds to give out to Chartered Student Organizations last year, SGA’s finance committee has been pushing to raise the activity fee.
“We don’t want to have to limit groups that are growing and doing great things,” said Financial Vice President Robert Moehle. He explained that they are contemplating two types of increases in the student activity fee. The first would be increasing the fee by a flat rate, and the second would be indexing the fee.
“Let’s be really careful about what we are asking students to pay. Just because it makes our jobs easier doesn’t mean it makes things better for the average [Saint Louis University] student,” said First Year Senator Chris Ackels.
SGA President Michael Harriss discussed the Student Strategic Plan. Actions within this plan include improving the on-campus housing experience, providing up-to-date facilities and infrastructure for student learning, studying and research, commitment to a diverse community and social justice, and improving the health and wellness of all members of the SLU community.
John Cook School of Business Senator Samantha Morr brought up concerns with campus facilities. “Facilities are a big deal that keep getting over-looked, SLU tends to put Band-Aids on them.”
Morr was not the only senator to voice concerns with campus facilities. Others expressed concerns with residence halls and classrooms.
“[Father Lawrence Biondi, S.J.] has been here longer than I have been alive, he might have a long term vision,” Harriss said. He explained that, as students, we tend to over-simplify things and want them done quickly.
SLU bookstore textbook manager Tricia Polly spoke on the quickly approaching textbook buy-back period. She encouraged students to speak with faculty, to motivate them to place book orders for next semester. The sooner they place these articles, the more money students can get back from their books.