By Erin Atwood
When a full time student registers for classes there are certain fees that must be paid to the school. They include fees such as a registration fee, a technology fee, a commuting and parking fee, a placement fee and a student activity fee. Many students are not aware of the different fees they pay and what those fees are used for, the student activity fee being one of them. As a student it is important to know where your money is going, what that money is being used for, and who is using the money.
If a student were to look up the explanation of what the student activity fee is, they would find that the school defines it as a fee that ‘covers student services such as ID’s as well as various activities sponsored by student organizations and the student athletic program.’ It is a non-refundable fee and is required of all students regardless of whether they are full or part time.
50 % of the budget is reserved for athletics, 23.5% for Student Life and 26.5% for Student Government. $97,000 is set aside in a travel account that was reserved for athletics but is branching out with other clubs being able to use some of the money, according to Jim Gracik, President of Knight Campus Student Government. He says the money is split between all four campuses and is based on the number of students each campus has in attendance. In the past three years Knight campus has gotten 42% while Flanagan and Liston received 32% and 18% respectively. Newport campus only received 8% as they had only around 1,600 students all three years. The Knight Campus has the largest number of students and the most clubs, around 28 although it changes with clubs being added throughout the year.
The problem with the student activity fee fund is that sometimes it is not used correctly, in the way that it is designated in the handbook. Lunches were bought for the employees of Transfer Day with the money as well as monitors for Enrollment Services and laptops for the Deans. The unfortunate part is that, as Gracik says, club funding had to be cut anywhere from 30 to 50%. This is definitely an issue of fiscal irresponsibility but also of the fact that students need more clarification and awareness about what is really going on because although this is a two year school and turnaround is quick, if enough people demand change then we will have to be heard.
If a student were to look up the explanation of what the student activity fee is, they would find that the school defines it as a fee that ‘covers student services such as ID’s as well as various activities sponsored by student organizations and the student athletic program.’ It is a non-refundable fee and is required of all students regardless of whether they are full or part time.
50 % of the budget is reserved for athletics, 23.5% for Student Life and 26.5% for Student Government. $97,000 is set aside in a travel account that was reserved for athletics but is branching out with other clubs being able to use some of the money, according to Jim Gracik, President of Knight Campus Student Government. He says the money is split between all four campuses and is based on the number of students each campus has in attendance. In the past three years Knight campus has gotten 42% while Flanagan and Liston received 32% and 18% respectively. Newport campus only received 8% as they had only around 1,600 students all three years. The Knight Campus has the largest number of students and the most clubs, around 28 although it changes with clubs being added throughout the year.
The problem with the student activity fee fund is that sometimes it is not used correctly, in the way that it is designated in the handbook. Lunches were bought for the employees of Transfer Day with the money as well as monitors for Enrollment Services and laptops for the Deans. The unfortunate part is that, as Gracik says, club funding had to be cut anywhere from 30 to 50%. This is definitely an issue of fiscal irresponsibility but also of the fact that students need more clarification and awareness about what is really going on because although this is a two year school and turnaround is quick, if enough people demand change then we will have to be heard.