Student Government prepares for big budget meeting
In less than a week Minnesota State’s Student Government will conduct the annual budget meeting. In this week’s meeting, however, IT Solutions and the Centennial Student Union chair and vice chair came on behalf of the senate to share why they need an increase in budget fees this fiscal year.
Bryan Schneider, assistant CIO & director of technology services at MSU, said.
Currently, MSU students pay $11.50 for technology fees. This proposal would raise it to $12 due to the decrease in enrollment and inflation.
“All students benefit from the tech fee. It will provide the technology and support we have today,” Bryan Schneider, assistant CIO & director of technology services at MSU, said. “Even with the 50-cent increase it doesn’t cover the cost of inflation and still leaves us 13 cents less a credit than we got a year ago.”
This 4.35% increase request, however, does not impact the 2% increase cap that requires students to go to a referendum.
Others who proposed a budget increase were the chair of the CSU board, Tyler Pickel, and vice chair Douglas Roberts.
They proposed a 1.5% increase (a 15-cent increase from $10.37 to $10.52) in CSU Student Fees due to enrollment numbers continuing to decline.
“It’s a pretty small increase overall to cover the decline of enrollment,” Roberts said.
Commenting on the future of printing services in regards to how that impacts expenses at MSU, president Emma Zeller voiced ways to help keep costs low.
“We go through a lot of paper at the university like printing posters and different advertisements. Obviously this isn’t an immediate thing but something more digital that could have multiple things on it at once,” Zellmer said.
Pickel said they sent out a survey to a random group of students to investigate how to better reach their students in an eco-friendly way.
The annual public hearing for parking policy, budget and improvements will take place at noon today. The meeting will discuss the percentage increase in parking units justified by inflation, potholes and bus routes schedules.
“Following the public hearing the advisory board will make a decision and recommendation for bussing next year as well as parking next year,” said David Cowan, facilities services director.
Header photo: Bryan Schneider, assistant CIO & director of technology services at MSU, proposes an increase in students technology fees at Wednesday’s Student Government meeting. (Dylan Engel/The Reporter)
Write to Julia Lin at julia.barton@mnsu.edu