Student Vote on New Fees

On March 10th and 11th, University students voted in a general election to pay a $5 fee to the performing arts department and a $25 fee to reopen the math and writing centers. The text of these ballot initiatives follows:

QUESTION 1:
Do you support a $5.00 per semester fee for the performing arts?
The School of the Arts has operated on minimal budgets for the past several decades:
Nevada Repertory Theater ($14,000), the Performing Arts Series ($12,000), and the Shepard Art Gallery ($14,000). This fee would generate approximately $160,000. It will transform the Arts into a vibrant cultural center at the University, enhancing all students’ experiences, and the
caliber and frequency of these events in terms of bringing more recognized musicians,
significantly improving the quality of production (sets, costumes, lights, etc.), and attracting more renowned artists.

QUESTION 2:
Would you support a $25.00 per semester fee to re-institute and expand academic support services; including the writing center, math center, supplemental instruction, individual tutoring services, and free group tutoring?
The first round of budget cuts in 2008 resulted in the loss of many critical academic support services: the Math and Writing Centers were eliminated and the Tutoring Center began charging for its use. This fee would generate approximately $650,000 per year that would fully restore and expand the Math and Writing Centers, reopen a free Tutoring Center with greatly expanded capabilities: individual tutoring services, group tutoring, and walk-in tutoring labs. Also, supplemental instruction can be provided for many difficult courses (CHEM 121, PHYS 151, ACC 201, etc.) which have the highest rates of students receiving a D, F, or W as a final grade.

$75 Fee Removed from Regent's Agenda

12:00 p.m. Dec. 4
"The regents voted unanimously to approve a fee for UNLV students to help fund the school’s struggling Academic Success Center. The fee is $2 per credit for undergraduates and $5 per credit for graduate students and includes internship support and student activities benefits as well as paying for the tutoring center.
The fee stands in contrast to the $75 fee proposed by the Associated Students of the University of Nevada President Eli Reilly with similar goals for UNR students that was removed from this meeting’s agenda."

References
Balagna, J. (2009). Updates from the Board of Regents meeting. Nevada Sagebrush. Retrieved December 4, 2009 from here

Student discussion to replace the plan

Issue 1
Nov 2009
Download the first issue of Student Voices

How should the student body engage long-term plans?
Insight published this opinion article.

Riley Fitzgerald

Speech Communications
“I’m for the fees, I am personally willing to pay them, but I also believe that students should have a choice on which fees they would like to contribute to.”

Case Study Process

Student engagement does not require a Ph.D. Students will talk to student government about issues that affect their pocket books and lives. This case study includes interviews taken over a few hours on campus on October 31 and November 2. Students skimmed the plan and asked questions about individual goals in each part. Students ranged from partially familiar with JV 2017 to completely lacking any information. Many students reviewed the plan to come to a better understanding and wrote their opinions about the plan or a portion. Each chose to take a picture or request an area of campus with which they identify. These photos were included next to their statements.

Anonymous

High school student in the library
“As a potential UNR student, I don't want to pay MORE to go to college, especially
if at least 23/75 dollars are going toward the salaries of managerial positions.”

Nat Phelps

Secondary Ed Pre-Major
“Why do they keep trying to take money that I don't have?”