An undergraduate vote at the end of the month will determine whether or not the Mandatory Student Activity Fee of $79.75 that appears automatically on the tuition bill will increase by $15.
Voting will take place on Monday, Sept. 22, through Thursday, Sept. 24. Voters have to be undergraduate students with a UB ID.
Every two years, the student body must vote to keep the Student Activity Fee in effect. This year, students vote to keep it and have the choice to accept the increase proposal that makes the total fee $94.75.
The estimated SA costs for the 2008-2009 school year is $3,699,124, an increase of about $160 dollars from last year, according to the Mandatory Student Activity Fee Increase Proposal.
"In the past four years, there's been 18.77 percent inflation," said SA Treasurer John Martin. "We are planning for the next four years ahead of us. If we kept the fee the same, we'd be looking at getting rid of two major services."
The Fee covers SA operation costs, club activities and entertainment funds including all major concerts.
The last time the Fee was increased was in Spring 2005 when a $10 increase was added to the $69.75.
Without an increase, Martin said, Fall Fest or Spring Fest would have to be cut out of the schedule. Clubs would also suffer, as they get a major part of budget from the SA.
Currently, SA clubs divide a budget of $800,000 a year, an amount that is made of club revenue as well as a big chunk from the Fee, according the SA Financial Director Gregory Rhoads.
The effects of inflation have already been in play, according to Martin. He received a record of appeals to individual club budgets.
"Every year, clubs get a budget and they have a chance to appeal it," Martin said. "We don't have any more money to give them."
The number of clubs grew by 20 this year. The budgets of nearly all clubs were cut by 10 percent from last year, according to SA Vice President Ashish Abraham.
According to Abraham, gas costs has affected the Fee greatly. Many competitive teams and clubs use SA provided vans to get to competitions and events.
"A lot of the money goes to gas especially for our sports clubs, competitive teams like mock trial," Abraham said. "It used to be twenty percent, now 80 percent goes to gas."
The plan is to steadily increase the Fee to prevent $50 or $60 from being added to it later on to keep the SA running.
"Over the next four years we want to provide the same quality level of entertainment and club services and activities," Abraham said. "The whole plan is not to have a increase in two years."
Many students who believe the Student Mandatory Fee keeps the big musical acts and free events on campus occurring will vote to keep it.
"If they increase it, they should find more activities for us. With the mandatory fee, you get more than what you pay for - but times are rough right now," said Fernando Ortega, a senior media studies major. "Everything is going up and people have many other expenses."
Lauren Krystofik, a sophomore nursing major, explained that she will be voting to support the increase because of the events the Fee funds and discounts she gets in return.
"I think that's fine. I was just looking at the ad for Shussmeisters [Ski Club, Inc.] and it's only $150. It's a lot to get a season pass. And there are always free concerts, free hot dogs and free food. They put it to good use," Krystofik said. "I wouldn't mind, it would make things better."
Daniel Dunbar, a legal studies major, does not believe there should be an increase to the Fee because of various factors that will allow the SA to gain more funds such as a greater student population.
"Why, when we get more students every year? If I don't see any changes next year then I don't think we should. We could say oil prices rose, but it is also dropping right now. It could drop even lower. I'm borderline against and for it now," Dunbar said.
The voting will take place Sept. 22 through Sept. 24 in the Student Union.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
