Chancellor supports students' discontent

With the support of IU-Bloomington Interim Chancellor Kenneth Gros Louis, the Residence Halls Association Presidents' Council voted unanimously in favor of a bill stating the RHA's opposition to the proposed $30 student athletic fee Wednesday night.\nThe IU board of trustees is set to discuss this fee along with tuition, housing and other campus issues tomorrow in New Albany, Ind., where IU Student Association President Casey Cox will represent the student body's discontent with the fee. The board will vote on the proposed fee Friday.\nThe bill, submitted by RHA President Eric Hafner, took a mere 30 seconds to pass and supported the IUSA letter sent to IU President Adam Herbert Tuesday. It will also ask the board of trustees to vote against the fee in its current form.\nHafner's bill cited several reasons why RHA disapproves the fee, including that "no student input was received while discussing this fee."\n"Mainly the presidents felt nothing directly is benefitting the students in their resident life, or academically," said Andrew Walker, Director of Media Relations for RHA. "The residents spoke out against it, and that's why they voted the way they did."\nGros Louis stated similar sentiments about the fee.\n"I think there's a long tradition on the campus of the students being involved within the mandatory fees," Gros Louis said. "I think that's the point that Casey and others have to make on Friday, not the money. The point is that there was no process, and there's a long history of the students being involved."\nGros Louis said he applauds RHA's discontent with the fee and believes such a fee should go through a student review board. \n"The last major fee was the technology fee, and in the beginning, students weren't sure how it would benefit them," Gros Louis said. "In that case, it was only approved after students found out how it benefited them, and I think the same needs to be done in this case."\nThe chancellor also said passing this fee without student review and input could have negative consequences in the future.\n"It's a bad precedent not to go through the process," he said. "There is also no accountability for the fee because we don't really know why there is a deficit."\nIn addition, the bill states this mandatory fee "serves no academic purpose, nor does it benefit the students, and only serves the purpose of getting the athletic department out of debt, which is not the proper use of a mandatory fee."\nGros Louis said for students who would like to give their input, there are several ways to voice their opinions.\n"I think to send an e-mail to President Herbert and just say what they feel, is great," he said. "Or if they prefer to send it to Casey (Cox) to have him convey it, that's another way."\nThe chancellor said he doesn't think the fee is the last resort and there are other ways to solve the deficit problem. \n"It seems to me there are ways for the athletic department to function next year," he said. "Whether it is to borrow from the University reserve, or other ways -- without the fees, without hurting sports, without doing anything bad."\nGros Louis told the RHA presidents he believes the student voice can be heard loud and clear.\n"I told Casey Cox that if the student voice is heard, in the face of student opposition, I do not think the board of trustees will vote yes in favor of the fee"