USG presidential candidates suggest changes for controversial student activity fee

Editor's Note: This is the final story in an eight-part series about how the Undergraduate Student Government presidential and vice presidential candidates would deal with specific issues. This story focuses on the $25-per-semester student activity fee.

Perhaps the most-talked-about issue in the USG elections has been the fate of the $25 student activity fee.

The fee, which was implemented for the first time last semester, will be in place at the University for the next 25 years to help fund the HUB/Paul Robeson Cultural Center expansion. The remaining money will be allocated to students and student organizations that apply for funding by the University Park Allocation Committee, a group of elected and appointed students. UPAC was formerly known as the Student Organization Budget Committee.

USG has no role in the allocation process.

BOWSER and WILDERS

Wesley Bowser said he is not completely in favor of the fee, but does not support abolishing it.

"I'm for looking into ways of making it open to students to decide," he said. "But I'm not for abolishing the activity fee."

Students should be made aware this money is available for their use to create and attend programs, he added and suggested announcing the availability of the fee at all events sponsored by it.

COVENER and NIGHTINGALE

Jason Covener said his campaign is one of the few that is committed to eliminating the fee. The University of Wisconsin's success in eliminating a similar fee in court, he said, will provide precedent if it becomes necessary to take legal action against the University. Allowing students to vote on the use of the fee will not solve the problem, he added.

"Students who are most likely to participate in that voting are the students who would be in (executive) organizations," Covener said.

DESMOND and POLK

Because the fee is already in place for the next 25 years to partially fund the HUB/ Robeson expansion and has already been proven an asset by funding needed programs and groups, Jaime Desmond said she does not want to get rid of the fee.

"We feel a lot of events sponsored by the fee have benefited the students," Desmond said.

FAKE and BARRON

Thane Fake said he took a realistic approach about the student activity fee.

"We think it's a good thing in these times of budget constraints . . . this is a way for student organizations to have a steady source of funding," said Fake, who was on the Student Activity Fee Implementation Committee.

However, he said he does support publicizing what the fee funds, because, he said, people tend to favor the fee more once they realize what it is funding.

LANDSBERG and BARBE

Michael Landsberg said he does not want to abolish the fee because he said the fee funds programs, such as Emergency Medical Training, from which all students benefit.

"The biggest problem with the student activity fee is students don't know where the money goes," Landsberg said.

However, he said, the fee should subsidize things all students can benefit from, such as two-ply toilet paper in all dorms and on-campus facilities.

LOCCARINI and PIRROTTA

Darin Loccarini said he wants to get rid of the fee because he thinks it is inappropriate for student government organizations to use money from the fee to endorse particular viewpoints. Specifically, he mentioned the Association of Residence Hall Students' and USG's sponsorship of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Pride Week.

"The abuse and the misuse just needs to end," he said. "I will begin working on this Thursday -- regardless of the outcome of the elections."

LUBKEMANN and KRAMER

The fee itself is not a problem for David Lubkemann, he said, but the distribution of it is. If his ticket is elected, he said students would be able to vote on which area or organization they want their student activity fee to fund.

"It should be a reflection of activities that students want," Lubkemann said.

But, he added, the fee should not be abolished because it funds smaller groups that would not exist without it.

RUMMEL and CIESLA

"We support the student activity fee because it supports a lot of good activities," said Kendra Ciesla, Blaine Rummel's running mate. "It's done so much good."

Las Vegas Night, sponsored by USG and ARHS, is one activity Ciesla named as something that would not have been possible without the fee. However, Ciesla said her ticket is strongly against the addition of any other student fees.

SAUR and ROBBINS

The alternative activities available for students through increased late-night programming is one of the reasons Hank Saur said he fully supports the fee.

"We're 110 percent for it," he said. "It's brought a lot great thing to Penn State: ska fest, late night HUB and great jazz performers -- we'll fight any attempt to abolish it."