The relationship between the University and student fees is like the relationship between broke college students and stripping. It feels a little sleazy, unbecoming and you swear you’d never *actually* do it, but damn would it bring in the cash.
The only difference is, the University has been working late-night shifts at The Penthouse Club for years now. In fact, it might make “dancing” a full-time gig if its sugar daddy, the state of Louisiana, doesn’t step up.
Required fees make up a small portion of a student’s bill compared to tuition and rent. However, the amount has, with a few fluctuations, steadily increased over the years. The University wants to squeeze as much money out of students and their parents as is justifiable.
Imagine if the United States decided to take another $250 out of your paycheck. Anybody would be pissed off. However, if they took an extra $25 dollars every year for 10 years, it would seem more palatable, while still hitting just as hard.
That’s essentially what the University was forced to do.
According to the earliest data available on the University’s Office of Budget and Planning website, required fees rose from $494.70 in Fall 2011 to $636.45 in Spring 2016.
If the University really needs the money, and they do, I understand the need to raise student fees. They’ve seen years of cuts from state government, and the trend looks likely to continue until serious change happens at the Capitol.
To replace the money students and parents lose to increased student fees, the University should do everything possible to make the financial burden easier on students in other areas.
One way it can ensure a smaller financial burden is by abolishing Student Government.
SG spent approximately $120,000 in Fall 2015, according to its recent Funding Report. Of the total expenses, $13,000 is specified as coming from non-student fee sources, but the vast majority comes from each of our pockets.
While SG provides important funding to a number of important student organizations, including The Daily Reveille, individual students can better spend their own money.
Students can only access SG funding if they use it for school-sponsored organizations. That means the majority of students who chose to spend their time doing something unrelated to what the University approves of are taxed for the benefit of others, and they have no way to access the majority of SG funding.
Included in the SG budget are a few thousand-dollar salaries for the SG president and vice-president. The last few executives I can remember were all white fraternity brothers, so I see no reason for students with loans to subsidize those who can pony up a couple thousand a year for a social organization.
Refunding SG money does more than give students enough cash for an extra lunch. It puts the power back in their hands. If the organizations SG funds were important enough, students could give more back directly.
I dare the people at SG to conduct a survey. Ask students, in plain language, if they want their money back. Get at least one thousand students to answer. If I’m wrong that people don’t want to fund SG, I’ll eat a scantron.
If you vote for your SG representatives Monday, you won’t have a choice to refund your student fees and abolish a hierarchical, wasteful way of spending your money.
But, you should.
Jack Richards is a 21-year-old mass communication junior from New Orleans, Louisiana.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Anjana Nair

LSU students show their support during the Student Government debate on March 3, 2016 held in the Union Ballroom.