The Undergraduate Council of Students approved a resolution calling for a $72 increase to next year's student activities fee at its general body meeting last night. UCS originally suggested a $22 increase, but Jason Lee '12, chair of the Undergraduate Finance Board, made an impassioned plea for a larger increase.
The resolution calls for raising the total fee to $250.
Student Activities Chair Mae Cadao '13, a Herald senior finance associate and sponsor of the resolution, said Margaret Klawunn, vice president for campus life and student services, had expressed support for an increase. Cadao said she hopes Klawunn will advocate the increase in her upcoming discussions with the University Resources Committee.
She said Klawunn encouraged her not to "lowball" the increase. In the past, the URC has often approved much smaller fee increases, so the council determined it would be preferable to ask for more money.
Students at Brown pay far more in student activities fees than their counterparts at wealthier institutions such as Harvard, Princeton and Yale, where most funding comes from the administration.
UCS President Ralanda Nelson '12 said student activity funding will continue to lag until the student activities endowment reaches its $17 million fundraising goal.
Lee, the UFB chair, told the council that UFB can currently only fund student groups' budget requests up to 60 percent. He said a larger fee could bring about an increase in the $25 publicity limit for larger events, funding of coaches for competitive groups such as debate and chess and larger travel allowances. He also said more funding would improve the quality of Fall Concert and Spring Weekend.
UCS Vice President David Rattner '13 said the $72 increase request is "as much a statement as it is anything." He said it should send a message to the URC that this is something students are passionate about and referenced the 2007 budget debate, when UCS requested a $54 increase and only received an increase of $18. A higher student activities fee would not raise tuition but instead would divert funds from the total tuition increase already set by the URC.
Representatives from the Fall Ivy Policy Conference — held this year at Brown — and the Brown Mock Trial team spoke during community time, expressing their support for an increase and their frustration with the limited funds available for travel and event hosting.
Bonnie Kim '12, Ivy Council policy chair, said last weekend's policy conference had a budget about 10 percent the size of those for Ivy Council policy conferences hosted at other universities.
Following the passage of the resolution, the council held its semiannual vote of confidence in Rattner and Nelson, before which council members unanimously praised their leadership.
