I am a student at the University of Central Oklahoma, and I participated in a petition on whether other not to pass the Campus Improvement Act, advertised as “Vote Yes!: Campus Improvement Act.”, depending on the way UCO students voted from 7pm on February 6, 2012 to 7pm February 7, 2012.
The Campus Improvement Act was created by 13 University of Central Oklahoma students, including the University of Central Oklahoma Student Association (UCOSA) Student Body President Matt Blubaugh. This act would increase the student activity fees to by $6.00 per credit hour from the current $8.75 to $14.75. A student taking 12 credit hours would pay $105 in student activity fees. If the Act passes, then in the 2012-2013 school year, that same student would pay $177. The following bullet points are a breakdown of the increased fee.
*Total Fee Increase: $6.00
$2.95 – UCO Athletics
$1.12 – Student Affairs
$1.12 – UCO Student Association General Conference Committee on Appropriations (GCCA)
$0.81 – Vice President’s Committee
Since most of the funds would go to athletics and student organizations, this act is not fari to the student body as a whole. Since the UCOSA President helped create this act, was the act created in the mindset to help all students? Universities and colleges are about earning a college degree; athletics, student organizations, and Greek Life are extracurricular. Plus, not every college student is involved, whether as a spectator or athlete, in sports or in student organizations. Many students want to simply go to class and earn their degree. Many also work part-time (or full-time) and go to school full-time (or part-time). Their schedules do not permit them to participate. The entire student body (those in support of and apposed to the Campus Improvement Act) would be required to pay more money to go to college for athletics. For those already struggling to pay the already high tuition, and possibly housing, fees would have to pay more money. With financial aid shortages already, struggling students may have to pay out of pocket to cover the increase in fees. Therefore, why should all students be required to pay increased fees even if they do not benefit from the increase?
If 300 students voted yes to pass the Campus Improvement Act, then the petition would be forwarded to the University of Central Oklahoma President Don Betz and the Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education to sign into legislation.
How do you stand? Would you vote yes, or would you vote no?
Vote Yes: Campus Improvement Act http://campusimprovementact.com/index.html
*The Vista. UCO Newspaper, February 7, 2012.