2008 Woodie Awards
Richmond flip-flopping on allocation of new $250 IRA fee
Memo to CSU Chancellor fails to address student concerns
John C. Osborn
Issue date: 6/6/07 Section: Campus
The story has been updated from its original version.
A memo requesting a student fee increase failed to tell the entire truth behind the controversial proposal. The request, sent to Chancellor Charles Reed last Wednesday by President Rollin Richmond, did not represent what students voiced last semester when first proposed.
The fee increase would raise the Instructionally Related Activities fee by $202 a semester ($48 to $250) to take athletics off state funds, and to fund free county transportation and an energy independence fund.
Paul Browning, media relations specialist for the California State University, said no one at the Chancellor's Office was available to comment on the status of the request.
"This [memo] will definitely piss people off," said Associated Students President Terra Rentz.
One issue in the memo revolves around Richmond being able to adjust how funds would be dealt out. What was thought to be solid numbers was only an "initial plan" according to the memo: $201 for athletics, $24 for student activities, $15 for county transit and $10 to energy independence.
"In an effort to accommodate the athletic budget to a specific allocation," Richmond said in the memo, "I may need to redistribute the specific allocation of the total IRA fee from time to time." He added that the fee would not rise above $250.
Paul Mann, public relations officer for Humboldt State, said Richmond wants to retain authority over how money is distributed in the event enrollment increases.
This was in response to student concerns, addressed both in the University Budget Committee and the Student Fee Advisory Committee, that extra money obtained by enrollment growth would go straight to athletics. The statement was relayed to Mann from the University Budget Office.
"Never did he say to students that he would do that," Rentz said.
Richmond has to consult the Student Fee Advisory Committee on any changes, but could override any decision made.
A memo requesting a student fee increase failed to tell the entire truth behind the controversial proposal. The request, sent to Chancellor Charles Reed last Wednesday by President Rollin Richmond, did not represent what students voiced last semester when first proposed.
The fee increase would raise the Instructionally Related Activities fee by $202 a semester ($48 to $250) to take athletics off state funds, and to fund free county transportation and an energy independence fund.
Paul Browning, media relations specialist for the California State University, said no one at the Chancellor's Office was available to comment on the status of the request.
"This [memo] will definitely piss people off," said Associated Students President Terra Rentz.
One issue in the memo revolves around Richmond being able to adjust how funds would be dealt out. What was thought to be solid numbers was only an "initial plan" according to the memo: $201 for athletics, $24 for student activities, $15 for county transit and $10 to energy independence.
"In an effort to accommodate the athletic budget to a specific allocation," Richmond said in the memo, "I may need to redistribute the specific allocation of the total IRA fee from time to time." He added that the fee would not rise above $250.
Paul Mann, public relations officer for Humboldt State, said Richmond wants to retain authority over how money is distributed in the event enrollment increases.
This was in response to student concerns, addressed both in the University Budget Committee and the Student Fee Advisory Committee, that extra money obtained by enrollment growth would go straight to athletics. The statement was relayed to Mann from the University Budget Office.
"Never did he say to students that he would do that," Rentz said.
Richmond has to consult the Student Fee Advisory Committee on any changes, but could override any decision made.
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