Art students ask for student fee increase, request pending
The Caine College of the Arts may begin charging admission to select performances following a decision from the student fee board last week. The decision is pending approval from USU President Stan Albrecht.
Every year, each institution on campus – including colleges – has the chance to request an increase in student fees to fund their programs. This year, the arts college submitted a request for a $5 increase in student fees in order to fund performances. The request was partially granted by the student fee board, who granted a $1.75 increase with an added amendment stating that the college my begin charging for events to help cover costs.
Alan Dangerfield, the arts college senator, said, “Being a new college and everything, there are some costs that we hadn’t really been aware of until we become a college. Most of them were with production – hiring the staff we need and marketing for these performances.”
While a larger amount would have been ideal, the $1.75 and the amendment will help cover the college’s costs, Dangerfield said.
ASUSU Student Advocate Dan Ricks, who acts as chair of the student fee board, said several factors influenced the board’s decision to grant $1.75 and the amendment.
He said the original request was for $5 over five years.
“Typically, we try to have figures re-assessed every year,” he said.
Ricks also said it wasn’t clear how some of the college’s budget was being used, and that he would like to see how the college’s current funding is being used before the board raises student fees any higher.
He said the board also felt it would be fair to have the students who attend the performances help shoulder the cost, rather than charging students generally.
“We’re also letting them know that we do want to see some improvements in how they budget the productions,” Ricks said, “and also, perhaps, a serious look at what productions they want to do.”
Ricks said roughly 40 percent of the college’s productions exceeded their budgets.
Theatre arts major Felicia Stehmeier said she felt charging students to get into events could be good, depending on how much was charged. Though she said it is generally better to charge all students through a fee, if the price of admission is relatively low, it might be better for students.
“If you think about it, if there’s a show that you’re just dying to see then you’ll pay for it. But if it’s a show you’re not sure about and it’s free you won’t lose anything,” she said.
Ashley Hillam, a junior in the photography program, said, “I think that’s a good thing to have those events, rather than take them away. That’s a whole part of the college experience to attend cultural events and stuff like that.”
Dangerfield said he wasn’t sure yet if the arts college would need to request more funds next year.
“It depends how this turns out,” he said. “I hope that we won’t have to ask for more funds, but if we do in the future it will probably be a dollar or two over the next five years.”
– robmjepson@gmail.com