UA proposal suggests separate activity fee

The Undergraduate Assembly last night debated a proposal to increase student voice in determining the amount of money allocated to student activities funding. The preliminary proposal, which UA member Dan Singer will formally present to the UA at the next meeting, calls for students to pay an activities fee separately from the general fee. It also calls for increases in activities funding. The division would allow the five branches of student government to decide how to allocate the money to student groups and organizations. The administration currently decides where the money goes. Undergraduates each year pay approximately $11 million for the general fee, five percent of which is allocated for student activities. The general fee funds other services including academic support, recreation facilities and student health. Singer, a College senior, said the current fund allocation system is unfair because students have no input in the decision-making process and that not enough money is spent on student funds. In other business, the UA unanimously passed a resolution calling for an administration investigation of an incident during Peak Week ceremonies last spring in which students say the University's open expression policy was violated. Several University students were ejected from former President Ronald Reagan's speech for carrying placards denouncing him. Administrators have said the open expression guidelines were suspended during the speech. The UA also discussed a provost committee report calling for the University to split the role of the Judicial Inquiry Officer into a "settlement" JIO and a "prosecutor" JIO. The UA is planning to form a committee to examine the proposal. UA chairperson Duchess Harris announced last night that UA Wharton representative Olu Rodney was paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident this summer and will not return to the UA this year. An election will be held on October 8 to fill the vacancy. UA Freshman elections are scheduled for October 8 and 9.

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