The Student Senate will have voted Wednesday whether or not to recommend that the Board of Trustees to make a 20% increase of the Student Activities fee, upping the fee from $62 to $75 to help cover an estimated $44,000 shortfall in the Student Activities Trust Fund.

Over the summer, the university had switched from a two-tiered system (where fees were paid on a part-time student and full-time student basis) to a more “proportional” system, where students are charged an average per credit fee, instead of the full time or part time fee, which administration and student government officials state is “more beneficial” to the student body.

The switch, however, affects the Student Activities Trust Fund, creating a deficit up to $44,000, according to Senate members. In order to make up for the money, say student government officials, a $12 dollar, or 20% increase is needed in the SA fee. The recommendation will then go to the university’s budget office. If approved by the Board of Trustees, it would take effect next academic year.

The vote to recommend the increase will completely bypass a requirement in the Senate’s constitution, which states that any increase in the SATF fee over 7.5% needs a referendum of the student body, along with a two-thirds vote of the Senate. The deadline for the next year’s budget is Friday, January 31, extended from the Friday before, to give the Senate a chance to vote.

There’s no time because the university did not tell us about submitting a fee increase until late December,” says Vice President Tuan Pham. “By that time students had already gone to break.”

Vice President Pham said he didn’t want to do it without the required student referendum, but the Senate is being forced to because of the time constraints.

“Of course it’s not going to pass,” said President Joseph Panciotti, when asked about the prospect of a referendum. “I can’t envision students approving any increase for any amount.”

Senator and Chair of the Campus and Community Affairs Committee Fritz Hyppolite says that the Senate’s “backs were to the wall,” and they had all been kept in the dark. The university made an action without consulting them, he stated. “The Student Senate became officially aware of making the fee increase since this Tuesday,” where several of them learned about it at a Steering Committee meeting. The Steering Committee is the presiding committee on all of the Senate’s committees.

“I just think the information was slow in coming,” says Associate Dean Christopher Hogan, citing new technologies like PeopleSoft, and disagreeing the assertion that senators had been “kept in the dark.” “As soon as I get information I think is relative to [the Senate] I pass it on to Joyce [Moran, Director of Student Life].”

The administration will make up for the shortfall, said Senator Hyppolite, but “insurance” or a “security blanket,” is still needed. Looking ahead several years, and at what the SATF covers, “we want to make sure we continue to provide services,” he said.

“Not many students notice, but a lot of the money goes to paying the Student Life staff,” noted Vice President Pham, pointing out that there are six or seven centers, and at least three staff members per center. According to the Vice President, 50% of the SATF operating budget goes to paying them. The rest goes to Student Arts and Events Council (SAEC) and Student Events and Organizations Committee (SEOC). A small amount goes to Senate administration.

“It’s either raising the activity fee now, or cutting costs later,” said Senator Hyppolite.