Students will get the chance to vote on whether or not they want to increase their Student Service Fee by $50 a semester Tuesday and Wednesday. The 26.3 percent fee increase would cover the renovation of Hofheinz Pavilion, the construction of a new football stadium and offset a $5 decrease in state funding.
If approved, the fee increase would be in effect for up to 25 years. The next generation of Cougars will be affected by the increase, so UH students should carefully weigh the pros and cons of the fee increase before voting on it.
A negative aspect of this fee increase is that it is coming at a terrible time. It would be difficult to find a single Cougar who has not been affected by the recession. While $45 a semester doesn’t seem like a lot of money when tacked onto a student’s semester total, that $45 could be used to buy two weeks of groceries.
Another negative aspect of the increase is that many UH students would rather see the money go towards furthering the academic goals of our campus. While we always have a good turn out at our football and basketball games, there are many students who care more about their academic pursuits than attending games. These students would likely rather see extra money spent making UH a more academically rigorous environment.
But on the flip side, having state-of-the-art football and basketball stadiums could attract wealthy donors to our University. Not to mention prospective Cougars may be attracted to UH because of the prestige of our athletic teams and the grandeur of the buildings they play in.
Students can think of the fee as a way for them to give back to the University. When they come back for a football or basketball game after graduation, they would feel proud that they had a part in the construction of the new football stadium and the facelift of Hofheinz Pavilion.
There will be 12 voting locations on campus, including M. D. Anderson Library and the University Center. Be sure to have your voice heard.
Every building and facility that I am or am not using on this campus has been funded by other students. The value of my degree has been increased immeasurably due to previous students paying for facilities. I woulld consider it very selfish for any student that chooses not to vote YES for this bill. Such a modest increase for an infrastructure that is going to reshape the entire and most visible side of our campus. It is not up to us to decide what should be more important. This will help attract not only athletes but better students and faculty as well. If you have been on campus over the past 8 years you have seen since the addition of the rec center how the entire east side of campus has been transformed. It was debated with the same arguements these facilities have been, but has turned out to be a valuable recruiting tool to get the best UH students. Please, my fellow students, do not take for granted what you have now and lose appreciation for what you can give to the next generations. Never know they could be your sons and/or daughters. I am one of those as my father was a graduate in the class of 1968 and myself 2005 and now taking a masters.
Ah yes another student who blindly follows Jared Gogets and his fee increases…. So I am selfish if I want to hang on to my own money and not turn it over to UH???
Yes, you would be very selfish. You act like the $48 million is going into Gogets' pocket. You should be thankful to have a leader with the balls to raise fees in the name of progress. If you don't believe this will work, just wait 5-10 years and see for yourself.
Absolutely because you are currently priviledges to use the facilities others have paid for you. $90 for a year to to help reshape the west side of campus is small price to pay. If you don't appreciate what you have then go to a smaller school or JC and maybe you will. If you truly are a UH student I hope you will reconsider your attitude and vote YES for this bill. We have a beautiful campus now that is only getting better by the year uner our president's leadership and this is a big part of our future in competing on a high academic and athletic level for many years to come.
Please vote YES. I voted yes for the rec center and you can thank me by voting YES for the stadium and Hofheinz. Be proud of your school and help it become better. Damn it feels good to be a Cougar!!!
Wait, so, I pay the University for an education. I pay for the university to give me a degree that I earn by studying and meeting its requirments. BUT! The University cannot do its part to make the campus a safe place, no light post for extra security at night, overcrowding of parking, higher tuition, no remodeling of our current buildings and it is REQUIRED of us to pay $45 more? I am proud to be an Alumni. But let us not be confused pride with the reality of what students go through every day.