As talk continues about a student fee that would fund the renovation and expansion of the Reitz Union, students and Student Government representatives voiced their concerns over the financial burden it would bring.
About 75 graduate students packed the Student Senate chambers Tuesday night, holding signs that read, “Students deserve a vote on the Reitz Union fee.”
They expressed great disapproval for a resolution supporting a student fee that would fund the Reitz Union’s expansion. However, the resolution passed 67 -10.
A resolution is a piece of legislation that expresses the Senate’s opinion but takes no action.
Students would pay a $20 fee, included in tuition, and a $3 fee for each credit hour, said Student Body President Jordan Johnson.
Jaleesa Joseph, chairwoman of the Reitz Union Board of Managers, said other Florida universities like the University of South Florida implemented similar fees to expand their student unions.
Emily McCann, an English Ph.D student, said graduate students would unfairly bear the burden.
Unlike undergraduates, they do not have Bright Futures funds to help cover their student fees, she said.
Progress Party Sen. Vikram Munikoti, who represents graduate students, said he supports a bigger and better Reitz Union but not at the expense of students.
Former Orange and Blue Party Sen. Ben Cavataro, said he also disagreed with the resolution, adding there were not enough facts available about the cost.
He said all students should have the chance to vote on the fee during the spring elections.
Orange and Blue Party senators Alan Yanuck and Jonathan Ossip introduced an amendment that supported a student vote on the fee during the spring 2010 SG elections. However, the amendment failed.
But Senate President Ashton Charles, an author of the resolution, said not voting on the fee could delay necessary renovations to the union.
“It needs to happen now,” Charles said. “We have to take the action now for it to be a success.”
She said the resolution is meant to start conversations with the administration, who would have the power to implement the fee. She described an amendment to the resolution that recognizes the high fees graduate students face and allows for a diminished fee or no fee for the graduate students. The graduate student amendment passed unanimously.
Correction: The Alligator incorrectly reported that students would pay a $1.50 fee for each credit hour. The fee is $3 for each credit hour.
