SGA approves higher fees for UC renovations

The Student Government Association passed a bill that will increase student fees by $50 at a special meeting Monday night.

The increase raises student fees $135 from the current $85 charged specifically for UH’s University Center. The increase was approved in order to aid the second phase of UC renovations that will add a theatre and ballroom to the building.

The resolution came after two weeks and multiple presentations to the senate to gain a greater grasp of the project’s budget and to also gauge student reaction.

“The UC should be a center of the university and right now it is old, outdated, and inefficient, none of which are ways I would want to describe my university,” Honors College senator Maggie McCartney wrote in a Facebook letter to her constituents.

“I understand that many students are concerned about the extra fees and are not sure about why we should pay them. I would like to say that while I considered these fears, and at one time was concerned about these things as well, I believe that an increase in fees in order to have a tier one education is simply something that I see as necessary sometimes.”

Although only 17 of the 34 senators attended the meeting, the bill passed with almost unanimous support and applause.

At the special meeting the senate also approved the appointment of Turner Harris as SGA’s Director of Finance. Harris, who is an undeclared junior, works as a high school lacrosse coach and has his own web developing company.

“Although I am not a finance major, I have lots of experience and I know quite a bit about the subject,” Harris said. “I’ve gone through the bylaws and I feel more than capable of satisfying my responsibilities.”

The appointment was filled after some conflict arose concerning the position.

Former director of finance Jamy Abraham addressed the senate last week stating that she was initially offered to continue her role as director from the last administration, but was not chosen.

She told the senate that SGA President Michael Harding and Vice President Craig Premjee made a sexist comment to her after she confronted them about the reversal.

An anonymous student also expressed his displeasure with the president while addressing the senate.

He called for the resignation of Harding after accusing him of stealing his vote by taking his PeopleSoft number off of a parking petition outside of the library.

Harding and Premjee, who were found guilty of polling violations during their campaign, said that the accusations were false. The student plans to file a formal complaint with the dean of students.