Last Wednesday, the College Board approved four universities to begin charging student activity fees this fall. The University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University will add $5-a-semester fees, and Jackson State University and Mississippi Valley State University will add $10-a-semester fees.
Student government presidents first made requests for activity fees, with claims that student groups are in need of more money. There have not been student activity fees in Mississippi for 15 years, so several of these organizations have been underfunded since they have been founded.
“I support the student activity fee,” said Pearce Crosland, Associated Student Body senator and junior integrated marketing communications major. “I think with such an increase in the amount of money available to student organizations, we will be able to better fund them, as well as help aspiring organizations form and become more established at Ole Miss.”
These new funds will generate a significant amount of money to each of the four universities, ranging from $44,000 at Valley State to $201,000 annually at Ole Miss. The money will not be used to replace money currently being spent within the universities but to increase funding. ASB President Davis Rogers said the student activity fee is funded by students, controlled by students and used for student organization enhancement.
“It gives the university the ability to strengthen our student groups and hopefully increase the productivity within our current organizations,” said Lauren Malone, junior nursing major and Ole Miss global ambassador.
The ASB funds over 300 student organizations each year with an average of $40,000-$50,000, depending on the year. Rogers said these underfunded organizations make it difficult for students to progress with projects about which they are passionate. The new funds will triple the current budget, increasing the amount of funds available to student organizations between 400 and 500 percent.
A specific program is in the works that will provide on-campus transportation for students with permanent and temporary disabilities. Last semester the ASB senate passed a resolution allowing for one dollar per student per semester from the student activity to be allocated to the Green Fund. All other allocated funds have yet to be decided and are open for any and all student organizations or projects.
“Students that do not feel that they can properly express their organization’s interests due to lack of funds may feel as if they are losing their voice,” Rogers said. “We want to ensure that students on this campus are empowered with the ability to make an impact at this university and enjoy every aspect of their college experience.”
