The Student Governing Association introduced legislation recommending an increase to the fine arts privilege fee at their weekly meeting Thursday evening.
Legislation was introduced to increase the budget for the fine arts privilege fee. The bill recommends an increase of $5,000 to the current budget of $322,700. If the bill is approved, the fine arts privilege fee will operate under a budget of $327,700 until it is reviewed again prior to the 2022 fiscal year.
According to SGA’s privilege fee breakdown for 2017-2018, students enrolled in six or more credit hours currently pay $8.43 for their fine arts privilege fee. These funds support McCain Auditorium, the International Student Center, the departments of art, English and music, various student organizations and the College of Architecture, Planning and Design.Related:
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According to the bill, the College of Architecture, Planning and Design, McCain Auditorium, the Department of Art, the International Student Center and fine arts student organizations requested and received continuances for their current levels of funding.
The Ebony Theatre and the band, orchestra and opera programs in the School of Music, Theatre and Dance requested and received $1,250 increases for script rental and royalty fees.
The Department of Communications Studies, the dance program and the theatre program requested an $8,000 dollar increase to cover box office costs and a $1,250 increase for script rental and royalty fees, but only received an increase of $1,250.
The Department of English requested a $600 increase, but it was not granted.
“We ended up deciding that the difference that would be made with that six hundred dollars would be negligible at best,” said Jordan Martin, student senator and senior in computer science. Martin also said the increase would raise individual students’ fees by “a pretty small amount, overall” as the fine arts fee accounts for a relatively small portion of the total cost of privilege fees.
The bill was referred back to the Privilege Fee Committee.
Following last week’s revelation that SGA has not sent resolutions or commendations to their intended recipients for approximately 18 months, the senate introduced a bill to amend SGA’s constitution. If approved, it will become a responsibility of the speaker pro tempore, currently Tendai Munyanyi, senior in management, to “coordinate the process of sending legislation passed by the Student Senate.”
As reported by the Collegian last week, this responsibility was previously a duty of a staffer in the senate’s office. The responsibility was moved to the author of the resolution a year and a half ago, though the senate was unaware, said Jordan Kiehl, chief of staff and senior in industrial engineering.
As such, resolutions have not been sent to relevant members of faculty and administration, student organizations, state representatives or senators in what Jack Ayres, student body president and senior in chemical engineering, called an “oversight” and “collective fault.”
Stephen Kucera, student support director and graduate student in accounting, said he is working to resolve the oversight.
“I’ve been coordinating with our office of governmental relations at K-State to identify the most effective delivery system,” Kucera said.
The bill to alter the constitution was referred to the Executive Committee.
During the first open period of the meeting, Tim Lindemuth, acting adviser to the Interfraternity Council, Tom Hawk, state senator for Kansas, and Stephanie Bannister, assistant vice president for student life, addressed the senate.
Lindemuth said the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council have been granted liability insurance policies from the North-American Interfraternity Council and National Panhellenic Council to replace the support that was previously offered by the university.
Hawk offered his predictions and goals for upcoming legislature addressing K-12 education, campus carry and budget shortfalls.Related:
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“I personally do not believe that guns belong on campus,” Hawk said. “They don’t create the right environment for academics and freedom of thought.”
The senate also unanimously approved by a roll call vote an allocation of $1,300 to the National Association for Music Education for the K-State Recorder Workshop. The workshop will take place March 3, 2018 and will feature Anne Timberlake, award-winning recorder player and instructor.
The senate also commended the K-State Horse Judging Team for its performance in the All-American Quarter Horse Congress in Ohio earlier this month. The team placed second overall.
Next week’s student senate meeting will be held in the Alumni Center.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly listed the pro tempore speaker as Jonathon Peuchen. The correct speaker is Tendai Munyanyi.
