Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010
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Student fees to increase almost $10 next year By STOREE POWELL features senior writer
In the last academic year, 2009-’10, USU projected a collection of between $11 million and $11.5 million. That is $392.31 per student, which includes the $78.75 for student service fees, the rest are academic fees. Ever wonder what the fees are at the end of the tuition statement? Student fees cover student services expenses such as the library, computer labs, the Aggie Shuttle and campus recreation. The allocation of fees is decided by the 15 students on the student fees board. ASUSU Student Advocate Vice President Tyler Haws chairs the meetings, but does not vote. Votes must be unanimous. Haws said 10 of the members are elected ASUSU representatives and five are appointed students. Every January, the student fees board meets to hear proposals from various USU departments on their requests for increases in student fees. Jan. 19 the board met and approved a $9.87 increase for the next academic year’s student fees, which was proposed to USU President Stan Albrecht for final approval, said James Morales, vice president for Student Services. He said this is a quarter of a percent increase in the student body fees. “The job of the fee board is to find the balance between meeting the needs of students while not having the fees skyrocket,” Morales said. “We have to make sure the proposals are legitimate in their requests, not just in the nature of the request, but also in the amount.” Morales said the requests this year were $2.50 from the Student Health Center, 53 cents from the computer labs, $2 from campus recreation and $10.02 from the Aggie Shuttle, a total proposed increase of $15.05 per semester. All of the proposals were accepted, except for the Aggie Shuttle, Morales said. The final approved increase for the Aggie Shuttle was $4.84 per semester, which is a little over a third of what it requested, Morales said. Haws said the board cut the shuttle’s requested fee because the board’s main focus this year
STUDENTS RIDE THE AGGIE SHUTTLE, a service paid for by student fees. Aggie Shuttles asked for a $10.02 student fee increase next year, but was given $4.84 per semester. STEVE SELLERS photo
is to stay conservative. “There’s no need to require a bunch more than what we are already paying,” Haws said. “We are asking only for what we need. We felt that was the best way to represent students. A junior paying the proposed $10.02 next year is basically helping pay for what students will benefit from when he or she is gone. We didn’t think that is fair, especially since he or she will only benefit from it for one year.”
Morales said the Aggie Shuttle proposed the increase based on a plan replacing two buses over a five-year period so it can maintain a newer fleet. However, Morales said the proposed amount of $10.02 was too large of an increase, 82 percent from the previous amount. The proposal did “have a lot of merit to it,” Morales said. James Nye, the assistant director of Parking and Transportation said, “We are thrilled we
got an increase, even though we asked for a large amount up front. We are trying to do a five-year plan. We have 10 buses and four of them are over 10 years old. We asked for the large amount for the safety, convenience and reliability of the buses for students.” Nye said he was disappointed the board did
- See FEES, page 3
ASUSU’s Biggest Loser competition helps Aggies shed pounds
Lavaki said he hopes the competition continues to be a tradition at USU. “It would be so cool if Utah State, a school in Logan, Utah, where it’s freezing cold, was the healthiest school in the nation,” USU’s Biggest Loser competition has educated 22 students and Lavaki said. faculty how to achieve the lifestyles they want by eating better When something tragic happens, many people turn to food, and exercising effectively, said Dave Knighton, ASUSU service Lavaki said, and in order to accomplish personal goals, people vice president . need to take care of their bodies. In a one-week period, 22 participants have Knighton said 22 people lost 62 pounds, said Tim Bikman, the direcwere chosen to compete in USU’s “This competition is tor of Aggie Health Club. USU’s Biggest Biggest Loser. Applicants who had Loser is different from “The Biggest more about changing high body fat and motivation to Loser” TV show, Bikman said. By keepchange their lifestyle were chosen, your lifestyle. We are ing the competition more private and educating people instead Knighton said. doing the contest without eliminations, “This competition is more Bikman said, the contestants feel more of just telling them to about changing your lifestyle,” comfortable and have more success. work out.” Knighton said. “We are educating “We never wanted to do eliminapeople instead of just telling them tions. We want to help people without – Dave Knighton, to work out.” negative feelings,” he said. Contestants are judged Kevin Nielson, a student participatASUSU service vice president based on a point system, Knighton ing in the contest, said he has learned a said, and every week a lecture and lot about portion control. Nielson said he physical activity is held. Contestants ate fast food every day, not because he enjoyed it, but “because get a point for attending each event and filling out a nutrition there was a dollar menu.” Nielson said he went from eating assessment, and two points for every pound lost during that more than 6,000 calories a day at fast food restaurants to not week, Knighton said. After nine weeks, the person with the most eating out at all. points wins a year membership donated by the Sports Academy Seeing the weight on the scale go down every day is motivatand Racquet Club, Knighton said. ing, Nielson said. Nielson said he has dieted before, but this USU’s Biggest Loser was set up to promote healthy living, program has taught him the proper way to work out and stretch. Bikman said, and was organized by Knighton for a service-learnEmil Lavaki said the competition has taught him a lot about ing project. USU’s Biggest Loser was organized in a way to be eating right, and he now eats five small meals a day. Lavaki continued and changed in the future by the Aggie Health Club, attends USU and works full time at a bank. Bikman said, so more people can benefit from this program. He Lavaki said he has lost 19 pounds in the two weeks he has said it would be great to let 40 to 50 people participate in the conbeen in the competition, and he and his wife spend five to seven test next year. hours on the weekend preparing healthy meals for the next week. – steph.blatchford@aggiemail.usu.edu By STEPHANIE BLATCHFORD staff writer
Inside This Issue
2/10/10 The USU golf team opened the season in St. George at the Pat Hicks Thunderbird Invitational hosted by SUU. Page 10
The FDA has recently placed tanning on the same level as smoking for causing cancer. Page 5
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