Jennifer Baker
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Each semester undergraduate students pay an additional $22 to $102 in "student service fees," along with tuition expenses, for the privilege of studying at the University of Houston.
The Student Fees Advisory Committee will continue hearing unit presentations today and Wednesday to help decide the allotment of the 1998 fiscal year's budget.
The committee's annual meeting sessions provide an opportunity for student organizations to present a report and justify their use of student fees.
SFAC is made up of faculty, staff and students appointed by the university president and the Students' Association. Each year SFAC receives budgets and applications from several campus organizations who want to receive a portion of student fees to help support their endeavors.
Applications are received early in the Spring semester and compiled and reviewed by each SFAC member. After reviewing the requests, the committee members schedule time for each group to present their case.
Shortly after the presentations are complete, the committee meets again to deliberate over the material. SFAC submits its recommendations to the Board of Regents, which then makes the final decisions relating to how the fees are allocated.
So far, SFAC has heard from several groups. The Spirit Squad wants money to send the cheerleading squad to the national competition and to buy new costumes for the Cougar mascots. The Forensics team has also asked for funds to send students to out-of-state competitions (both the UH cheerleading squad and the forensics team are currently nationally ranked in the top ten).
The Department of Campus activities requested money to help support several organizations that fall under its umbrella, including the Student Program Board, Metropolitan Volunteer Program and the Students Association.
This week's meetings will be held from 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today and Wednesday in the Bluebonnet room at the University Center. These meetings are open to the public.
The agendas include proposals from Intercollegiate Athletics, Frontier Fiesta, Intramurals & Recreation, Learning Support Services and several other groups.
"Most people just sit back and complain about the student fees," said Brent Parker, a Presidential Association Representative for SFAC. Parker said that if people would come to these meetings, they would understand why certain groups get money and why other groups don't get the money they ask for.
It is important to note that the committee does not let anyone vote who may have a biased opinion toward one group or another, Parker said.
Each day the meetings feature a public comment session at 11:45 a.m. So far, no students who are not involved with SFAC or one of the presenting groups have attended.