Programs asking EC for Tier II tuition money to add more employees
Requests for an increase in Tier II tuition were given to the USU Student Association Executive Council on Tuesday, and all groups requested money to finance an additional staff position.
Different programs and departments at a university receive money from students’ tuition, labeled “Tier II.” Examples include the library, IT services, academic advising and partial employee compensation. The numbers vary from university to university and are set according to the amount of requests.
According to the Utah System of Higher Education website, the second tier of tuition is based on a recommendation by the institution’s president and board of trustees. Implementation of Tier II tuition requires public notice and a public hearing.
The USHE website states the first tier of tuition must be the same across all institutions and is based on the budget set by the Utah Legislature.
At Tuesday night’s meeting, four requests were made for Tier II tuition increases from Career Services, University Advising, Counseling and Psychological Services and the Academic Resource Center. All the groups are housed in Student Services.
Derek Jack from Career Services explained the responsibility of his department is to help students make connections early in college and choose a satisfying career.
“At Career Services, we not only help students, but alumni,” he said. “It takes time and effort and some intentional planning to be able to do something like this effectively.”
The department offers a course, PSY 1220, called Career and Life Planning. There are four sections, two in the fall and two in the spring, with approximately 280 students in each section and about 200 students on a waitlist.
Jack requested finances to fund additional instructors for two more sections of the course. Each instructor would receive $3,000 for compensation plus benefits. Six sections total would cost $18,000 plus benefits, which is $7,650.
Eighty percent of the Career Services budget comes from the various fairs and expos held by the group semester, Jack said. The group doesn’t receive any Tier II tuition currently, but has in the past.
Jack also requested finances for an assessment program, $1,000, and wages for three graduate level interns, $7,000.
The total amount of money requested was $33,650.
University Advising also requested funds for additional staffing needs. The office is responsible for undeclared students, undeclared business, nursing and allied health, students exploring associate degrees and peer advisers.
Stephanie Hamblin said the number of students her office deals with is over the limit, according to the National Academic Advising Association.
NACADA recommends the student-to-adviser ratio be no higher than 300 to 1. Hamblin said her office’s ratio is 464 to 1.
“It’s astronomical,” she said. “It’s doubling and tripling.”
Her office requested permanent funding for an adviser currently receiving temporary funding and finances to hire an additional professional adviser, which came out to $99,443. She also asked for $28,000 to assist the ongoing needs of students. Her requests totaled at $121,448.
Executive Council members voted to approve $46,724 for one permanent position. President Doug Fiefia said the council would look into the $28,000 at the second reading next week.
Counseling and Psychological Services requested funding for many aspects of its office. Dave Bush explained issues affecting his employees including students waiting two to three weeks for an appointment and needing to reach out to USU students on the regional campuses.
Bush said the current funding doesn’t support assisting the 12,000-plus distance education students.
He also said the American Psychological Association has criticized his office for having a high student-to-counselor ratio.
CAPS asked for $124,825 to fund various positions and programs in the office. The executive council approved $30,000.
Dennis Kohler, associate director of the Academic Resource Center, presented last and also asked for $43,350 to fund a salary for a program coordinator.
The three main programs Kohler mentioned under the ARC are math and statistics tutoring, supplemental instruction and a course called Strategies for Academic Success, PSY 1730, accommodating about 500 students a year.
In two years, 200 students were added to the course and nine sections were added. The ARC also facilitates 68 undergraduate and graduate internships. Though some courses are housed under the psychology department, they’re funded by the ARC.
“Allow us to move to 100 to 120 new seats in PSY 1730,” Koeler said. “We’d like to roll out some new programs. We’ve got great staff. We have these great ideas and don’t have the time necessarily.”
The council voted to approve the full amount, $43,350, for the ARC.
Before the council voted on the requests, the Tier II Tuition Ad Hoc Committee convened during a short recess and made preliminary decision.
Members of the ad hoc committee are Kevin Meacham, Service vice president, Daryn Frischknecht, Student Advocate VP, Matt Anderson, Senate pro tempore and College of Humanities and Social Sciences senator, Matt Ditto, College of Education and Human Resources senator, Brittney Garbrick, Graduate Studies senator, and Fiefia.
Fiefia brought the decisions to the council and said the group made its decision based on the intent of members doing research and homework on the issues presented before the next meeting on Feb. 11.
All approved requests passed as a first reading and will go through a second reading next week. After the council finalizes its decisions, the requests will go to USU President Stan Albrecht, the Board of Trustees and finally to the Board of Regents.
Twitter: @daniellekmanley