Many organizations, student leaders and administrators have supported the Executive Student Action Council's proposed student activity fee, but the one group that has not given its opinion is made up of the people who will foot the bill -- the students.

ESAC's activity fee calls for a mandatory fee paid by students each semester. The fee could range from $5 to $25, said ESAC Chairman Paul Kasper, adding that the money would be distributed equally among the University's student organizations.

William Asbury, vice president for student affairs, said the activity fee would be collected from all students and distributed among all the University's campuses.

The fee is designed to assist organizations already in existence and create more activities, but some students believe it is unnecessary.

"I don't have enough money to buy books or pizza, let alone pay another fee," said Lori Hevner (junior-mathematics).

Bill Straw (sophomore-actuarial science) and Julie Kepler (freshman-nursing) agreed that the student activity fee would be just another strain on students' wallets. Straw offered a solution for the financial problems of the clubs and organizations.

"When an organization wants to make money, they should hold fund-raisers, not hold their hand out," Straw said.

But despite these students' opinions about the fee, others believe it could be beneficial.

Robyn Spaziante (sophomore-exercise and sport science) said the fee would increase opportunities for students. And Chris Vinal (junior-economics) agreed that the activity fee would help ease the financial squeeze put on most organizations.

"It's only a couple more dollars," Vinal said.

In order to get more feedback, student leaders have set up a table in the basement of the HUB, held open student forums at their meetings and submitted letters to The Daily Collegian. But only a few students have expressed their opinions.

"I think seven or eight people responded," Saunders said, adding that he expected some student opposition to the fee. "You ask students if they want to pay more money, they'll say 'no.' "

USG Senate President Mike King said student leaders are now polling students in order to get a more diverse response. But despite student leaders' efforts, they are still far from implementing a fee.

"It's at ground zero," King said.