The LSU Board of Supervisors voted to implement the new Academic Excellence Fee in fall 2003 despite Student Government President Allen Richey’s plea for a deferment of the new charge to students.
Richey attended the board’s July 10 meeting with an appeal to delay the Academic Excellence Fee so students would not have to pay the extra $120 until a later semester.
“Students are not opposed to the Flagship Agenda,” Richey said to the board. “I think it would go a long way if students had a little more warning.”
Richey addressed the Board of Supervisors for about 10 minutes, and its response gave hope of a possible deferment of the fee.
As he concluded, many board members said they appreciated Richey’s attention, and member Laura Leach expressed her support for giving students more warning when new fees are applied.
“I think that is a very reasonable request,” Leach said.
Leach’s support gave Richey hope for a victory.
“I was very happy when Laura Leach and other board members were receptive to the ideas of pushing the fee back,” Richey said.
But Richey was not the only vocal SG officer. Student Senate Speaker Michael Busada sent a memo to the Board of Supervisors July 10.
The memo, protesting the Academic Excellence Fee’s $120 increase, implied if the motion was passed, the University and the state would be breaking a promise made to students.
“Many students decided to stay in Louisiana and get their education because of the promise of free tuition,” Busada said in the memo. “By applying this fee to current students the state is breaking its promise it made to keep students here.”
The council took little time in debating whether or not the motion to implement the Academic Excellence Fee should pass.
LSU Law School SG President Brian Hightower served as Richey’s biggest supporter as the student member on the board.
“I understand his concern,” Hightower said. “The average student just sees the fee — they don’t see the benefit.”
Hightower also appealed to the board to discuss the possibility of putting the fee off instead of “a surprise attack of $120 dollars.”
Charles Weems III, another board member, addressed Richey and Busada’s concerns that the University was breaking a promise made to students.
“What [the money] you were promised, we’re not going to give you that,” he said. “We’re going to give you better. The timing is right; we have to do it now.”
The board then voted to pass the motion and apply the fee in fall 2003.
“I was disappointed the idea of pushing the fee back didn’t go through,” Richey said. “But I can understand that fast action was the way to go for them.”
Students were glad Richey and Busada took a stand for students’ pocketbooks.
“I appreciate him [Richey] looking out for the students and the cost each student pays,” Aaron Moyer, a music education junior said. “But there are buildings on this campus that need to be renovated, and I am happy to pay $120 for that.”
Richey said now that the fee has been approved, students should stop looking at the negative and consider the benefits.
“It is my hope we can now start talking about — instead of paying the money — where the money is going,” Richey said. “The key is to start talking about what comes next.”