LC Meridian

Issue date: 4/1/07 Section: Election 2007

At election time, students often notice what may be wrong on campus. Though many Lehman students receive support from financial aid or scholarships to attend Lehman, several of us pay out of our own pockets and do not see conditions getting any better even though tuition rose last year. Now there are efforts to improve campus life with a movement to place a proposed increase to the Student Activity Fee on the ballot.

There is no doubt Lehman could use more money. Our buildings are in need of repair, some of our professors are still with out basic health insurance, and our campus life events, though fun and original, might be better with more funding.

Yet it seems that the Student Activity Fee issue is more important to the administration than it is to students. Executive Assistant to Vice President of Student Affairs, Vincent Zuchetto, and Vice President for Student Affairs, Jose Magdeleno, spoke to me at length about why we should increase the fee. They gave examples of things they would like to add to student life not available to us the way the current budget is structured, such as a soccer team or debate team. However, they could not guarantee what changes would occur with the much desired increase.

They did their best to persuade me to promote it in this article. However, while the paper might enjoy an increase to its budget, the Meridian's responsibility is to tell Lehman students the truth objectively.

Campus Association for Student Activities, CASA, is not as passionate about the fee hike as might be expected.

"I just want to say that CASA has not decided their position on the raising of the Student Activity Fee," said Jackson Ude, president of CASA.

Jackson's office was horrified by the comic printed in the March issue of the Meridian, featuring the "CASA monster" that devoured fee money, inspired by accusations of wasteful spending on exclusive trips, dance parties and little-known bands. In fact, CASA receives less than one-third of the fee to govern with. The rest of the income from the Student Activity Fee is distributed to the Health Center, student athletics, events like Commencement and scholarship ceremonies.

Continued...

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