LSU Student Government’s Executive Branch Senior Staff discussed possible fee hikes on Tuesday. The potential fee increases could affect student organization funding, commuter transportation and Memorial Tower renovations.
If they pass through the Budget and Appropriations Committee, the proposed fees will go to the Student Senate for a vote on Feb. 3. If approved, the fee increases will be on the ballot as referendums for students to vote on this spring.
One of the proposed fee increases is a $2 fee over 2-4 years which would serve as a gift on behalf of students to the Military Excellence Fund Commission. The fees would help pay for renovations for Memorial Tower, specifically the construction of the museum inside the tower dedicated to fallen Louisiana soldiers during World War I.
Another fee, $2 per semester, would go toward the creation of a student sustainability fund, which would reserve money for campus sustainability programs. The fund would be available for any student, department or campus organization to request financial support for a project.
The third proposed increase is a $1-5 fee for the creation of commuter shuttles that would be available for students who park in commuter lots. The shuttles would allow commuting students to park in less crowded lots farther from campus and have the assurance that a bus would bring them to and from campus.
SG president Andrew Mahtook said these shuttles are part of the legacy items his campaign is working on. These initiatives, Mahtook said, will be the long-lasting imprints his administration has on the LSU community.
“It would be a system of Tiger Trails buses making loops around to the far out commuter lots and bringing students to campus,” Mahtook said. “We’ve seen a lot of complaints from students about not being able to find parking … and having to walk all the way to campus.”
In light of possible cuts to the University’s budget due to the state’s budget deficit , the executive staff also discussed how the shortfall affects SG and its impact on students.
Mahtook said the Student Advocacy Commission, run by executive branch members State Capitol advisor Myles Sonnier and chief advisor Zack Faircloth, will help students make sure their needs are addressed by state representatives.
“A lot of our efforts revolve around working together with legislators to help complete the promises that they made during their campaigns,” Mahtook said.
Chief of staff Kat Latham assured students that SG will maintain an open line of communication between the administration and the students. Latham also urged students to continue to make their voices heard to legislators and show solidarity toward preserving higher education funding.
“We are keeping on top of it to ensure protection of the university we love and the students we represent — past, present and future,” Latham said. “We will do whatever we can to always keep this conversation going.”