Initiatives get funding from Tier II dollars

Improving classrooms and establishing a new university radio station are just two of seven recommendations the ASUSU Executive Council approved Tuesday as part of a resolution to receive funding from Tier II Tuition for student initiatives.

A committee, composed mainly of ASUSU senators, distributed more than 900 surveys to Utah State University’s various colleges to learn of students’ concerns.

From the surveys, the committee established seven recommendations:

• Establish a student radio station

• Provide additional scholarships and funding for graduate studies

• Improve the HPER Building

• Extend Taggart Student Center computer lab hours

• Improve classrooms and study areas throughout campus

• Aid in the improvement of journals in the Merrill-Cazier Library

• Secure a memorial in the College of Agriculture

The total cost of the recommendations is $240,000.

“We don’t have problems with what has been proposed, in fact we enthusiastically support it,” President Stan Albrecht said.

Engineering Senator Lincoln Essig has headed the project to compile the recommendations, President Quinn Millet said during the meeting.

“Senator Essig has done a very precise job with this,” Millet said.

The student initiatives are just one of several areas the administration is addressing for additional funding, including enrollment services, faculty and staff retention, base deficit reduction and hiring faculty in areas of high demand equalling $2,440,000.

President Stan Albrecht presented the changes that would require a 4 percent Tier-II increase.

“What this means is about $125 more each year for students,” Albrecht said. “You all know how committed I am to access.”

Albrecht hopes he the university will only require a 2 percent increase next year if enrollment increases fall semester from recruiting efforts.

-mmackay@cc.usu.edu