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NEWS
| April 22
Student Service Fees
Requests wait for president’s
approval
The Student Service Fee Advisory
Committee forwards its recommendations for how the fees should be
divided among campus organizations.
By Amber
Tafoya
Contributor to The Shorthorn
The Student Services Fee Advisory Committee
sent funding recommendations to the university interim president
Monday afternoon.
The committee discussed the recommendations Saturday after three
days of listening to student groups and departments tell how they
would use their parts of student service fees the university expects
to receive in the fall. Interim President Charles Sorber must approve
the recommendations and can make adjustments as he sees fit.
If Dr. Sorber makes significant changes, said Dean of Students Kent
Gardner, the committee can take its recommendations to the UT System
Board of Regents.
The committee’s recommendations will not be released until
Sorber makes his decision, Dr. Gardner said.
Each department’s request is divided into a budget covering
general operations and wish list items. Wish list items are new
projects that may expand student services or help send students
to competitions, Gardner said. About $500,000 from student service
fees is available for wish list items. The general budget of the
requesting department will be funded from student fees the university
projects it will take in next year.
Two requests Friday came from the Communication Department, with
addendum items for the radio station and Ad3, an advertising club.
Ad3 asked for $12,354 to send students to an advertising competition,
while UTA Radio representatives said they need $18,900 to pay students
who work for the station.
The students who work for the station are unique in that they have
a relationship with the community and have a chance to give people
information about the university nationwide, adviser Ron Bland said.
A new position would help ease the workload by creating management
positions, Bland said.
“Our students wear too many hats,” he said.
Two other new requests came from the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Department and the Autonomous Vehicle Lab. The lab wants help taking
a student-designed, radio-controlled aircraft to competition. With
the requested $7,680, the team could have scholarships available
for students and funding for equipment, representatives said.
The department asked for $11,675. This will cover travel, maintenance
and equipment for the aircraft.
“This project is the capstone for students in the department,”
said Arthur Reyes, a computer science engineering professor.
The Cost-Share Tutorial program needs funding for more tutors to
serve an increasing student population, said Director Kathryn Head.
The program offers private tutoring for $5.50 per hour and has review
sessions and supplemental instruction. The budget includes a request
for $16,969 for a tutor and work-study wages that will go to new
tutors. A 32 percent student increase qualifies the need for more
tutors, Head said.
Additional funds would help the counseling department continue its
services for students including job fairs, seminars and academic
advising, said Cheryl Cardell, assistant vice president for academic
affairs counseling services.
Student Activities’ requests included $1,700 to fund 10 additional
students to attend a leadership conference.
Movin’ Mavs Coach Jim Hayes said grant reduction will take
$10,000 from the Lady Mavs Wheelchair Tennis team. Hayes said the
committee’s support will help the organization continue to
produce successful students.
With a 98 percent graduation retention rate, the program helps push
the students into careers and increase workers with disabilities
in the office, Hayes said.
“The success of this program is not sports,” he said.
Hayes said he hopes to form a Lady Mavs Wheelchair basketball team
once the tennis team is successful. Hayes asked for $13,600 to cover
the expense of 10 players plus travel costs for an additional player.
Multicultural Services requested $34,500 to fund events including
Hispanic Heritage Month and a Martin Luther King Celebration.
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Kent Gardner, dean of students, says
the interim president must approve funding suggestions.
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