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Media Credit: Susan Terry

Media Credit: Susan Terry

Increasing student fees may burden students in the current economic situation, but they support a higher quality of student life, according to officials.

Student fees fund student activities, student health services, athletics, computer equipment and scientific equipment needs. This portion of students' payment to the University stocks the campus with up-to-date tools that can enhance learning and on-campus operations.

"(Current funding) is not providing you with what (your professors) feel is the quality you deserve." Pat Catterfeld, Assistant Provost of Budgeting, said. "They basically ask for what you need, across the disciplines."

Increasing student fees by a few dollars per person in any given fee division can greatly improve the quality of resources in that division.

"The cost of chemicals has skyrocketed," Catterfield said. Chemicals and other lab supplies, while vital to many courses, require significant funding.

Student fees also fund new computers, art supplies and health services, according to Catterfield.

Each year, a committee collaborates to recommend where every penny of student fees should go. The committee consists of staff, faculty and students.

"I can't give the exact dollars and cents today," Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Bill Haggard said Tuesday, after a fee committee meeting. "It is very important to remember that the decisions made to the committee are a recommendation to the Chancellor's Senior Staff, which then recommends the Board of Trustees and goes to the UNC system Board of Governors."

Last week's Open Fees Forum gave students a chance to voice ideas and concerns about tuition and fee increases (to university officials).

The Student Government Association passed a bill last week that explained how they want officials to distribute next years' student fee increase.

The Mountains to the World grant finances international service learning projects, but a one-time grant funds the program. The SGA bill proposes an increase in the Education and Technology portion of fees by $10 to support the MW program, which terminates in 2009-2010 without additional funding.

The bill also proposes adding $1 to the current $30 transportation fee to support giving all students three free emergency rides home from campus.

Tuesday the Fee Committee met to finalize their recommendation for fee increases.

"The recommendations for the Student Activities, Athletic and Health fees were approved as proposed. Then there will be a recommendation for additional increase to the education and technology fee. The committee approved the one dollar increase in transportation fee for the purpose of extending the emergency ride program," Haggard said.

Tuition increases, while separate from fees, also enhance student learning. About half of tuition helps keep faculty and staff salaries competitive with others in the Counsel of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. University officials want to keep salaries at least 80 percent of peer institutions. The other half goes to advancing student learning.

Of the latter half, 25 percent supports the tuition offset grant fund, which helps students afford tuition based on financial need.

Tuition payments and student fees cover only a portion of the cost of an education. On average, the State of North Carolina provides the university with $9,021 per year per full-time student.

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