New Spring Fee by BOR-- Total: $200 per student

Alright, so we know you're not excited about this-- neither are we-- but a new fee has passed. What does that mean? Student fees for schools under the University System of Georgia (USG) student fees will increase. For UGA students, that means tacking $100 on top of the $100 special fee we currently pay. Total cost of the special fee: $200.00.

Now that you have the gist of it, hear us out; there's a little more to this than the Board of Regents (BOR) saying "Hey! Let's cut the budget and ask students to supplement more of our depleting funds from their own pockets."

Today, the BOR met in Atlanta to approve plans to alter the System's budget from a 6 percent reduction ($135 million) to 8 percent ($176 million), effective this fiscal year, FY2010. In order to supplement the loss of these fees, BOR is asking students to pay for it through student fees. Here's the breakdown for the new budget reduction and student fee increase:
$100 increase at research universities and six other universities, $75 at most comprehensive universities and $50 at two-year state colleges. The total cost of student fees, $200/$150/$100 at USG schools respectively.

Times are tough, we know. We feel it at home. We feel it here. We feel it every time we fill up our gas tank, pay an extra penny for printing or pass up our favorite cereal brand for the generic store brand instead. Well, the State's feeling it too. USG is currently trying to actualize $12 million in savings, while generating the $24 million from student fees in FY2010 alone.
In order to realize this $12 million in savings, the state will have to reach to additional employee furlough days, eliminating positions, employee layoffs, or other types of program an structural changes. Those structural changes could result in fewer course sections, larger classes and major health insurance changes to university students and employees.

The BOR has deliberated over this fee increase and has decided that it would help preserve academic quality while having the least possible negative effect on students, says Vice Chancellor for Fiscal Affairs, Usha Ramachandran.

While the fee feels hefty on students, the overall reductions for FY2010 should spread the impact evenly among faculty and staff, campus operations and students in a balanced manner. Ramachandran noted, "approximately 86 percent, or $152 million of reductions are being borne by our institutions and employees" she said. "The student share of the cuts with the additional fee is 14 percent, or $24 million."

In addition to approving the new student fee, the BOR also approved a moratorium on student fee increases for FY 2011 and a sunset date of June 30, 2010 for the total mandatory student fee.

Read the AJC article detailing the new student fee here.

We, your Student Government Association, are working hard to find a resolution to the institution of these mandated fees. Please check back to read on the progress of our resolution debate at tonight's Senate.