50 cents of fees goes to music and theater
Utah State University students will pay 50 cents more in music and theater fees beginning Fall Semester 2003.
The arts fee will increase from this year’s $3.50 per semester to $4.
Theater arts will use the added funding to increase the number of production showings during the year, said Justin Haskell, Associated Students of Utah State University Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences senator.
Haskell, Colin Johnson, head of the theater arts department, and Bruce Saperston, head of the music department, proposed the raise.
“We’re filling the theater,” Haskell said.
The number of productions will remain about the same, but students will have more of an opportunity to see the production, he said.
The music department is in need of the funds. It doesn’t even have enough money to repair instruments, Haskell said.
He presented the proposed raise to the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Student Representative Board before submitting it to ASUSU. The board unanimously approved the idea.
“With these fees, it’s free for every student,” Haskell said. “You’d pay $5 to $10 [per concert] outside the university.”
Alex Hogge, a freshman majoring in political science, said sports programs seem to get more funding than arts programs, so 50 cents is not a big deal.
“I think it’s fine,” she said.
The approved increase will give 25 cents more per student to the music department and the same amount to the theater department.
–katrich@cc.usu.edu