Editorial
Failure of proposed seg fee increases brings issue of personal bias to light among senators
March 9, 2012
Student Senate recently rejected three motions for proposed segregate fee (seg fee) increases. As a result of such, Chancellor Dean Van Galen has requested a list of reasoning behind the decisions. Van Galen met with Student Senate President Tyler Halverson and Facilities and Fees Board Chair Beth DeLong. Halverson and Delong explained to Van Galen that they were both embarrassed to meet with the chancellor and tell him that they did not know why the motions failed.
The decision made by the Senate to fail the three motions has more people than just the chancellor confused. All three motions passed through the small committee level and Facilities and Fees board without any problems.
The departments whose proposed seg fee increases failed were disappointed with the Senate’s decisions. It was discovered that many of the senators didn’t even vote on several of the matters.
When the senators were asked to explain their no votes, it was discovered that many of them were uninformed and perhaps would have voted differently with more understanding. DeLong explained that this is a major issue for the Senate and is a fault that lies with the senators themselves.
One of the proposed seg fee increases involved an increase in meal plan rates. As the cost of food increases, so should the dining meal plan rates. Another of the proposed seg fee increases involved heath services, as an attempt to provide contraceptives to more of the student population.
It was suggested that some of the senators didn’t support the proposal for an increase in meal rates due to a personal distaste for Sodexo. It was also suggested that heath services were denied because of personal issues some of the Senators harbored regarding the use and availability of contraceptives.
We here at the Student Voice find it pertinent to express that personal bias is in no way, shape or form an acceptable way to determining something that would benefit the student population as a whole.
As the cost of food increases, so should the cost of meal plans. Having contraceptives freely available to students is something that shouldn’t even be an issue, when looking to the bigger picture of health services.
We hope that the Senate can resolve all of these issues, put aside their personal biases and make the right decisions for the student body.