Student fees provide necessary student options

The ways in which student fees are handled could not be better. The money is allocated to meet the needs of students.

Without the extra fees that students pay, accessibility to computer labs, wireless Internet and even the student center would not be available. Paying student fees, a process designed by the student government, adds a new dimension to students’ education.

“The UVUSA officers are delegated the authority to make recommendations, who then take it to the board of trustees and then to the board of regents,” said Linda Makin, chief planning, budget and policy officer. “The student fees were all agreed upon by the students years back.”

Student fees allow new avenues of learning to be available to students who would not normally have access to those opportunities.

“Years back, when laptop use was minimal, students needed access to computers to complete school work,” Makin said. “They wanted access to open computer labs; the students agreed to pay for those … students wanted free access to the wireless Internet. Before, you had to pay an additional charge and now the university offers free access to over 98 percent of the campus.”

Student fees also cover other important areas requested by students.

“The wellness center is something the students also agreed to. Students wanted access to such help as mental health counselling and medical treatment,” Makin said. “Without fees, we wouldn’t have the student center. The union building fee pays the lights and power, custodial, all of that for the student center.”

At the end of the day, it’s up to students to take advantage of the fees that we pay at the beginning of each semester. It will only be beneficial.

“Whether students take the opportunity or not is their choice. There are activities all throughout education that people may think, ‘That is a one-to-one connection and doesn’t benefit me, but it is benefiting the whole university and its reputation,’ ” Makin said. “It is the same as if you pay tuition for a class that you never go to, and it happens, which is sad.”

We pay fees at the beginning of each semester. We need to take advantage of the opportunities that we agreed to pay for. We pay for more than just the opportunity to attend class. We pay for the opportunity to get a quality education; it’s time we take full advantage of these opportunities.