RE: Our view (Spouse Access to Fitness Center)
The Statesman didn’t do its homework. In the Nov. 5 “Our View,” the Statesman stated that a student spouse should pay $153.75 for the services they are currently allowed access to. However, in the breakdown of the fees, the Statesman used the amounts that a full-time student must pay. A student taking just one credit, however, pays only $101.75. This 1-credit student has all the privileges of a full-time student, so it would be more accurate to compare a spouse, taking no credits, to the 1-credit student. Take a closer look at some of these fees. First, the bus fee: Anyone — student, faculty, edith bowen child, or random joe schmoe — can ride the shuttles with no questions asked. No one checks id’s or swipes your card at the door. If no one else (besides students) has to pay for using the shuttle, why is it fair that spouses should have to? Strike another $8 from the total. Now look at building fees. These break down (for a 1-cr student) to 13.70 for housing, 5.05 for the stadium, 7.50 for the health center, and 5.25 for the TSC. First, spouses aren’t allowed to use the health center. And once again, anyone can use the TSC, so why should spouses be paying for the building that houses registration, financial aid, etc — all services that they don’t use? And charging anyone besides USU residents the housing fee seems a bit odd, let alone charging spouses. So take away $26.45. This brings the total to $67.30, not $153.75. One more thing. As a student who was able to choose my fees, I paid only $18.50 for access to all rec facilities — including the fitness center. That $18.50 broke down as $17 for Recreation and $1.50 for the fitness center. So, ASUSU is prohibiting spouses from using the fitness center for $1.50. I’m sure that if you asked them they would be willing to cough up the money. This information is available to anyone who is willing to take time to go to the cashier’s office and ask. I hope that the Statesman researches a bit more thoroughly in the future, and that ASUSU realizes the true value of their restriction. Andrea Van Sickle avsickle@cc.usu.edu 529677643