2008 Woodie Awards
Changes to Voting Methods
By Mike Stone
4/18/07 - News
This Thursday, the Student Council will hear arguments regarding a new fee that will be used for Academic Facilities Construction. The exact amount of the fee is undetermined currently. As envisioned it could reach $270 per semester phased in over a few years.
Previously, for a new fee to be implemented, the entire student body has to vote on it. Under the new policy that is pending Board of Trustees approval, fee approval for all "academic construction" will be decided by Student Council. It is important to remember the change only applies to academic construction projects. Not fees like the Inter-model Transportation fee that was approved at the end of last month.
The reason that the school is having Student Council decide on the new fee and not the entire student body is that The Colorado Commission on Higher Education recently changed some of its policies and, as a result, so has Board of Trustees. Dr. Scoggins, the new President of the Colorado School of Mines, has been very adamant on speeding up some current projects.. Casey Morse, President of ASCSM, said that Dr. Scoggins is, "excited about expanding the school and is really pushing for this perfect window of opportunity."
Right now, the school would like to increase the amount of general use classroom and teaching laboratory space available to the students. Different projects been proposed to provide for this additional space. One such project involves a Brown Hall renovation that could potentially add between 57,000 and 75,000 more square feet for students. Another proposal in the works is a brand new 75,000 square foot general use academic building that would have new classrooms and lab space available for classes such as first year chemistry and physics.
The school has asked the state legislature for the funding to expand Brown Hall since the early 2000s. Funds for expanded Brown Hall from the State General Fund do not appear to be coming in the near future. That reason as an example, compounded by the expanding Student Body have forced the school to asking Student Council to approve a fee for Academic Facility Construction.
Previously, for a new fee to be implemented, the entire student body has to vote on it. Under the new policy that is pending Board of Trustees approval, fee approval for all "academic construction" will be decided by Student Council. It is important to remember the change only applies to academic construction projects. Not fees like the Inter-model Transportation fee that was approved at the end of last month.
The reason that the school is having Student Council decide on the new fee and not the entire student body is that The Colorado Commission on Higher Education recently changed some of its policies and, as a result, so has Board of Trustees. Dr. Scoggins, the new President of the Colorado School of Mines, has been very adamant on speeding up some current projects.. Casey Morse, President of ASCSM, said that Dr. Scoggins is, "excited about expanding the school and is really pushing for this perfect window of opportunity."
Right now, the school would like to increase the amount of general use classroom and teaching laboratory space available to the students. Different projects been proposed to provide for this additional space. One such project involves a Brown Hall renovation that could potentially add between 57,000 and 75,000 more square feet for students. Another proposal in the works is a brand new 75,000 square foot general use academic building that would have new classrooms and lab space available for classes such as first year chemistry and physics.
The school has asked the state legislature for the funding to expand Brown Hall since the early 2000s. Funds for expanded Brown Hall from the State General Fund do not appear to be coming in the near future. That reason as an example, compounded by the expanding Student Body have forced the school to asking Student Council to approve a fee for Academic Facility Construction.
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