By Joseph Altman Jr.
Arizona Daily Wildcat
ASUA President T.J. Trujillo released a proposal Thursday to create two student boards that would advise the vice president of student affairs on the allocation of student fees.
The proposal by Wende Julien, ASUA federal relations director, states that the committees will make recommendations to the vice president of student affairs. A student fee advisory board would deal with decisions regarding student fees, and a student affairs auxiliary board would guide the creation and utilization of auxiliary resources.
Trujillo has called for a joint legislative session to take place Nov. 30, where the details of the measure will be released publicly. The Undergraduate Senate and the Graduate and Professional Student Council will meet at that time to discuss the proposal and vote whether or not to create a referendum. The final decision will be left to the student body in a referendum that should be given to voters by January, Julien said.
"We could do it without a referendum, but we'd like to have the backing of the students," Julien said. "It doesn't cost any money and it really gives students a voice."
Trujillo said he is hoping for a large voter turnout.
According to the proposal, the committees would allow students to decide how to spend the money they pay to the university in the form of fees.
Topics such as renovation of the Student Union and Student Recreation Center fees will be discussed and acted on by the committee, according to the proposal.
Surveys of student governments at 15 schools, including the University of Toledo, revealed that student boards control the use of student activity fees.
At the UA, the vice president of student affairs controls that, Trujillo said.
With the approval of the proposal, Trujillo hopes to the follow the model created by other universities.
"We can distribute money according to what student needs and concerns are," Trujillo said.
The committee will consist of four students and four non-students, and its recommendations will go to Saundra Lawson-Taylor, vice president of student affairs, who will have the final say on all matters, Julien said. Julien doubts Lawson-Taylor would overrule the committee.
"Dr. Taylor has been very helpful in the planning stages of this and is very excited about this," Julien said.
"We're actually setting the standards for the rest of the institutions in Arizona to follow," Trujillo said.
Trujillo said he hopes the committee can begin meeting early this spring, but Julien said she will be satisfied to get started in decision making for the 1996 fiscal year.