The cost of a University education goes up every year. A small part of that is under the direct control of students, the student incidental fee. If the ASUO is to really act in the best interest of students, it is to lower the burden on their wallets. Individual students pay almost $600 a year through the i-fee, and this amount continues to rise.
The ASUO needs to wake up. Instead of granting across-the-board increases, the ASUO should instead consider creative growth. For example, by removing the Career Center from the i-fee gradually, the financial burden on students fell nearly $500,000 and the services of the Career Center remain under the administration. The same can be done with campus recycling, the marching band and many more very valuable services that the administrations at most universities pay for.
By refusing to reserve student fees for OSPIRG and increasing allocation to the Oregon Student Association, student power remains strong without a dramatic increase in cost. Just this year the ASUO set aside a portion of football tickets for student season passes and was able to reserve more free tickets for less money. The opportunities to attend football games increased while the cost to students decreased.
The ASUO pays for bus passes for every student with no accurate report of ridership data. To negotiate the most valuable contract, the ASUO must obtain this data and provide for the most important routes with the highest ridership. The ASUO subsidizes trips almost every week to send members of your government and small portions of students around the country on conferences that you see little benefit from. Last year this was nearly $100,000. We must require a certain amount of these allocations to be fundraised.
Student enrollment at this University grows every year. A population growth of 2 percent increases the ASUO budget by 2 percent. Your student government should account for an increased campus population. The ASUO can increase programs and services without enlarging the financial burden on students. With creative growth, we can make your student government do more for less.
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