Opinion
 

Staff Editorial

                            Matt Dulin    Barrett Goldsmith    Zach Lee 
                Jim Parsons            Christian Schmidt           Blake Whitaker

It's SFAC time

The Student Fees Advisory Committee will have its annual meetings today, Monday, Tuesday and Friday to decide how to divvy up approximately $12 million in undedicated student fees.

A quick SFAC education: The committee has nine voting members, four students appointed by the Student Government Association, two students appointed by UH President Jay Gogue and two faculty members also appointed by Gogue. Dean of Students William Munson is an ex-officio member. The committee holds four days of presentations from various campus organizations each spring to determine how student fee money should be doled out.

If you are a student, this is your money that's going to these programs. Let SFAC know how you feel. Go to the committee meetings and speak during the 15-minute public comment period, which starts between 11:15 and 11:45 a.m. each day of the hearings.

Read The Daily Cougar to see what different organizations said during their presentations. Write a guest column or letter to the editor to let the campus community know how you feel. And talk to your SGA representatives. They are the liaison between students and the administration, and there are four SGA representatives on the committee.

Athletics will probably receive about $4 million, the maximum it is allowed under University guidelines. The University Center will likely receive about $3.123 million, including $1.96 million in dedicated student fee money. Four groups, including University Career Services, will probably receive between about $400,000 and $1 million. Nine more groups, including the Wellness Center, Student Publications and SGA will likely receive between about $100,000 and $400,000. The remaining 20 groups will probably receive amounts less than $100,000.

If you think one or more of those organizations should get more or less money, let SFAC know. It's your money. Tell SFAC how you want it spent.