ASMSU wants to provide more entertainment and services for the student body.
But to do so, the undergraduate student government could have to increase the per semester student activity fee by $2. The fee helps bring in musical and educational activities, as well as loans and legal services.
Currently, the fee is $13, with $10 going directly toward ASMSU, and the other $3 going toward the Red Cedar Log yearbook. The fees are included in students’ tuition bills.
Matt Clayson, chairperson of Academic Assembly, said the increase will help stabilize the services already provided and eliminate those that aren’t effective.
“We want to ensure the services we have now and make sure they are quality,” he said.
Clayson said having attorneys on hand to provide free legal services is the kind of thing that will be expanded upon and it’s something all students can benefit from.
The increase is justified because it’s for the students and it gives them a chance to show how wisely ASMSU is using their budget, Clayson said.
“It’s not the job of student government to waste money,” he said.
The increase would have to go to ASMSU Student Assembly in the form of a bill before it would be placed on a referendum for spring elections, which occur a week after spring break.
Quinn Wright, chairperson of Student Assembly, said the increase is meant to help the students and he wants to get their support before it goes to a vote.
Wright said the increase will primarily go toward funding and programming boards.
“This will help the registered student organizations get more money,” Wright said.
“And there hasn’t been an increase for ASMSU in six years.”
Most students on campus feel the increase is minimal, and can only be helpful.
Although he has never used the legal or loan services ASMSU provides, Brian Wilson said it’s nice to know they exist.
“I don’t care about $2,” the finance junior said. “If it was $20, I think students would actually care.”
Wilson said students probably don’t know what ASMSU has to offer.
“Honestly, if you ask 100 students, they wouldn’t even know ASMSU provides services,” he said.
But Katie Scarpelli, a packaging sophomore, keeps up with what the student government does and thinks it’s a pretty good idea to continue these services - whether many students use them or not.
“Some people barely notice what they’re paying for anyway,” she said.
