Board hits students with $20 fee increase

During its monthly board meeting in April 2005, the Southern University System Board of Supervisors approved a $20 hike in students’ alumni fees, starting this fall.
The increase from five to $25, which will affect graduating students on all five campuses of the SU System, was initially the request of Donald Wade, national president of the SU Alumni Federation.
“I asked that a fee of $25 be assessed to student fees. That would grant them a one-year membership to the alumni federation, in hopes that they would get involved early,” Wade said.
Wade said the fee would grant graduating students full access to the federation and provide them with all of the amenities included in a federation membership.
The fee would also automatically enroll students who are not interested. Before the increase, students still were given a one-year membership with the old fee.
Now, Wade said, the additional monies would help supplement scholarships, hospitality suites for alumni and assist the federation in funding the construction of its alumni center.
“What we have to do is establish a revenue stream to relinquish the debt,” he said. Wade said. “The students are only charged half the cost of a one-year membership, which is really $50 dollars.”
According to Edward Jackson, SUBR chancellor and interim system president, the university did not have to seek or wait for a student consensus because the fee is applied for a service, similar to student housing and board fees.
“It’s not an uncommon fee,” Jackson said. “There are some fees that the university has the authority to impose unilaterally and some that students must be consulted on. Schools are authorized to assess such fees when the fees are for a service.”
Frances Smith, legal counsel to the system president, said that the university relies on the opinion of the state attorney general, who holds the weight of a court interpretation in matters such as those involving the assessment of fees.
“When post secondary institutions wish to impose a fee that does not directly involve educational services, they can request an interpretation or opinion from the attorney general as to whether or not they can assess the fees,” Smith said. “The university has requested opinions for various things throughout the years.
“In this case they relied on the previous opinions made by the attorney general regarding the assessment of fees.”
Smith cited Article VII, Section 2.1(A) of the Louisiana State Constitution. It states: “Any new fee or civil fine or increase in an existing fee or civil fine imposed or assessed by the state or any board, department, or agency of the state shall require the enactment of a law by a two-thirds vote of the elected members of each house of the legislature.”
Johnny G. Anderson, chairman of the board, said the increase in graduation fees have always been a board action without the input of students. He said he felt graduates should want to support the alumni.
“All graduates ought to be willing to support their alumni,” Anderson said. “It’s not voluntary, it was a board action.”
Jackson said the administration would engage in a fall campaign to inform students what they are doing with the fee and why.
“We want to be able to get students acclimated and accustomed to alumni activities early,” Jackson said. “As a result, in the fall, you will see more alumni activities involving students.”