Where Are They Going Now: Fees

Fee bills: we all have to pay them. From band, to athletics, to even a Jaguar Lanes fee, it can all be seen in your self service banner account. It is said that these fees are going to organizations and establishments on campus that add “value” to the university and the student body. Though this is true, there is much speculation as to where the funds for these fees are actually going, especially after the fee amounts have been changed.
“Where are these fees going to?” Asked a boldly straightforward Kobe Kelson at November 3rd’s senate meeting. This same question is one that rang in the halls of departments all over campus. Kelson’s issues were presented on behalf of the Human Jukebox, whose fee was dropped from $60 to $55. The musician stated that the 5 dollar decrease took an immeasurable toll on the band’s funds for the year, not allowing them to attend certain away games.
It was made clear to Kelson by the senate and the Director of the Office of Student Leadership and Engagement, Tiffany Freeman, that student accessed fees had been decreased for “all student organizations” by various amounts. “The money was reallocated in Fall of 21 in order to get the bond for the loan for the new student union,” said Freeman. In order to receive the money in preparation for the new student union, the university had to prove that money would be brought in at a steady, consistent rate.
This is where the domino effect is coming from—starting at tuition changes and working its way down to student accessed fees. Other fees such as the Athletic Fee, Career Services, and Jaguar Lanes all received a $5 decreases along with the band. However, the Gospel Choir fees were decreased by $2 leaving the fee to just $1. The Student Government Association fee decreased by $3.
It’s all apart of the bigger picture; the system plan to rearrange the face of Southern University’s Baton Rouge campus. Students of today are paying it forward for the next generation of Jaguars at SU, whom will have freshly renovated dorms, state of the art facilities, and hopefully functional and fundamental improvements in campus-wide infrastructure. These improvements are long overdue, and paying the price of a small fine will be beneficial in the long run. “I do advise every organization to make the most of what money you do have and attend the senate meetings so that your concerns will be addressed,” stated Freeman to a curious student body.
Christian Perry, a senior at the University, has a lot of concerns about the fees. “There’s a lot of questions that need to be answered. How do we make sure we know where our money is going? Who’s speaking on behalf of the students?”
Students are advised to regularly check their account balance as well as their student accessed fees. To view fees, one must login to their banner account, click on “Student,” then select “Student Accounts,” and lastly, “Account Summary by term.” From there, you may overview where all the money from your tuition is going.
If there are any questions about your fee balances, the Digest urges you to contact the financial aid office or your campus senators for any further clarification.