Student fee board OK’s CAPS fee, votes down global engagement fee

Utah State University students could see a $10.46 increase in their student fees, if President Noelle Cockett and the Board of Trustees give their approval after the student fee board gave their thumbs up.

The fee increase would support Counseling and Psychological Services by fixing the office’s budget deficit and funding therapist and social work positions. The increase would also fund the second half of a psychologist position for the Caine College of the Arts, the first half being funded by the college.

Some board members expressed confusion in the last meeting about where in the arts college budget the money was coming from. Caine College of the Arts Senator Sierra Wise said the dean and financial officer of the college confirmed that the college’s contribution is covered with discretionary and vacant position funding.

Wise said, “if we were to fund this fee, I think it would be appropriate for USUSA to draft a letter talking about support for the CAPS fee but also politely petitioning for making CAPS more of a priority in the initial budget rather than coming back and asking for fee increases from the students.”

The board approved the fee in a 22-1 vote. The proposal will next go to President Noelle Cockett for approval. If approved, it will go on to the Board of Trustees, and if passed there, will go finally to the Board of Regents. The Board of Regents will ultimately determine whether the fee increase goes into effect.

The new fee for a Global Opportunity Fund would go through the Institute of Government and Politics and the Global Engagement Office. The proposed fee would cost students $5 and create a seed pool for $1000 travel scholarships for 210 students.

James Morales, vice president of student affairs, said he took a summary of the fee board’s previous discussions to members of the university’s executive committee. Morales said Dean of Engineering Jagath Kaluarachchi confirmed study abroad for engineering students as a “near impossibility” due to accreditation.

Student-at-large Tasha Olson said, “It would be better for this to be funded at the college level so it’s representative of the opportunities available to different fields.”

“I think this proposal is neat and what it aims to do is positive,” student-at-large Kaden MacArthur said. “But my main concern and reason for not supporting it is that it would be the only student fee that isn’t openly and constantly accessible to all the students.”

The board voted against creation of the new fee with 21 members voting no, one voting yes, and one abstaining.

Lastly, the Caine College of the Arts proposed to use funding already in the budget towards the Tippets and Eccles visual art galleries in the Fine Arts Center.

The funding, acquired from online students’ tuition and fees as well as an automatic fee increase, was used last year to purchase new marching band uniforms. The proposal would not deduct funding from the performing arts programs.  

The board voted unanimously in approval.

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