The parking permit fee will remain at $25 for students for Fall 2015 after the Slippery Rock University Council of Trustees failed the motion to increase the fee during their regular business meeting Friday in Room 321 of the Robert M. Smith Student Center.
“[Student Government Association] did vote [to support the increase], but we have to rely that the Council of Trustees knows more than we do about financial situations because we only know so much,” SGA President Elect and commuter senator Katie Hill said. “I think the Council of Trustees may know more than we do about certain issues.”
The council also failed motions to approve a late payment plan increase from $15 to $30, a 2 percent fee increase to the traditional dorms and R.O.C.K. apartments, a 2.75 percent increase to the meal plan fees and an applied performance music lesson fee.
“I voted no on several issues involving student increases and will continue to do so. At some point I guess I have to make a stand and say I’m offended at the prices the students and the parents have to pay to send to a state-related university,” Trustee Robert Marcus said.
The fee assessment for applied performance music lessons that failed was “simply an attempt to reduce some of the 400,000 deficit [that the music department is running],” Trustee Dennis Murray said. He voted no, along with a majority of the council and the motion failed. The fee assessment would have raised $54,000 had it been approved.
The council did, however, approve a 2.1 percent increase to the meal plan fee which is contractually obligated. A payment plan increase from $25 to $40 starting in fall 2014 was also approved as was a return check fee increase from $15 to $30 and an Ed.D in special education program.
The Old University Union was approved to be transformed into a student success center, requiring approval of $16.1 million for renovations. Also approved was $1.7 million for renovations of McKay Education Building. Marcus stated that he was “required by the commonwealth” to vote yes on the motions.
The memorandum of understanding between the university and Slippery Rock Student Government Association was also approved at the meeting.
Slippery Rock University President Cheryl J. Norton recognized senior dance and adaptive physical activity major Rebecca Burcher for being awarded the Syed R. Ali-Zaidi Award for Academic Excellence during the president’s report to the council.
“This is the highest award given by the Board of Governors of the PASSHE system and the first time that a Slippery Rock student has ever been honored in this way,” Norton said.
The award is given in recognition of outstanding academic achievement and participation in extra- and co-curricular activities and was established by Syed R. Ali-Zaidi, a founding member of the PASSHE Board of Governors.
“I’m incredibly honored to have won this award and I’m also very honored to be representing Slippery Rock University,” Burcher said.
The full agenda and minutes from the previous meeting of the council can be found here.
