MU Students could be paying more out of pocket for upkeep of student life as soon as fall 2017. The student services enhancement fee is a referendum to current MU student activity fees up for vote in March. It aims to improve MU’s campus community and facilities by putting funds into needed areas of improvement and maintenance.
The areas the money will go to is based on a 2016 satisfaction survey conducted by the Division of Student Affairs.
Enhance Mizzou is a campaign under the Division of Student Affairs dedicated to sharing the information and data necessary to make an educated vote on the fee.
It simplified the fee into six benefits:
· Extended library hours
· Improved access to mental health services
· Expanded wireless access across campus
· Expanded technology for learning spaces
· Well-maintained student learning spaces and heavily-used facilities
· Continued access to a variety of social and educational programs outside the classroom
Lead communications coordinator for Enhance Mizzou Shane Stinson, said along with presentations to student organizations they are also setting up information tables in places like the library to “[try] to target some of those places where students are impacted by the fee.”
Along with in-person communications, Enhance Mizzou is heavily implementing social media in the initiative. It uses platforms like Twitter to release additional data related to the benefits.
The Associated Students of the University of Missouri, Mizzou Chapter – President, Chris Dade said paying more money through a new student fee “isn’t ideal, but it’s the best answer to a lot of the issues we have on campus.”
At a rate of $2.91 per credit hour the student services enhancement fee will cap at $35 per semester for a full-time undergraduate student. Graduate and professional students would max out at a full-time fee of $26.19 per semester.
Students will begin voting on the referendum in addition to Missouri Student Association elections online or at polling stations on campus March 6 through March 8.