A crucial vote on the proposed athletics fee and plans for a UH smartphone app, which has brought up complaints from the computer science department, are on the agenda for the Student Government Association meeting at 7:30 p.m. today in the Cougar Den.
SGA will vote on whether or not to send the $50 student fee increase recommended by the Student Fees Advisory Committee to student referendum, SGA President Michael Harding said.
SFAC recommended the SGA should allow students to vote on whether they are willing to pay the extra $50 per semester in its Nov. 14 report.
Forty-five dollars of the $50 increase, which can last up to 25 years, would go to the athletics department for the construction of a new football stadium, the renovation of Hofheinz Pavilion and the maintenance of these and future athletic facilities, SFAC Chair John Evans said.
SGA Director of Finances Turner Harris will also detail plans for the University smartphone app, Harding said.
The SGA will be given $59,125 of student fees for the app if the SFAC recommendations get approved.
The proposed app has stirred controversy among computer science majors because of the use of a third-party developer, as The Daily Cougar reported on Nov. 29.
Well I think the poor Comp. Sci. students can be satisfied that this app boondogle is way overblown. After attending the rediculously overlong meeting it is obvious that the SGA approach is ass-backwards to getting any kind of app. They have no clue what they are buying nor what a fair price is. They've put the cart in front of the horse.
For the $60,000 they have agreed to spend, they might as well be buying a unicorn, because this app is just as extraordinary, beautiful, and imaginary.
It's a ridiculous amount to be spending on a UH app. I know of a few Computer Science students who built a UH app a couple of years ago, and at the time were just brushed off.
I've been hearing some rumors about someone in SGA trying to help out a friend with this third party company, but that's ridiculous if that is the case.
Yes, it is true that one of the computer science students wants the money invested in a student start-up to do the app. If the students can compete in an open bidding system, let them show that they can compete with the pros.
However, the best route is to let the end users decide (and pay on a case-by-case basis) via a UH-centric app store — possibly hosted by the IT dept.