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It is almost time to pay taxei igaisi-not the income
tax due April 15 -the student fees due Feb. 12. You
know, that $61.50 listed on the tuition statement under
the heading "Programs and Facilities Fees?"
As with most taxes, student-fee payers are not sure
how that $61.50 is spent.
Most of the fee is spent to partially finance the Univer
sity Health Center, the Nebraska Union, Recreation Dept.
and to pay off bonds sold to build the union and health
center.' , j
These are assumed to be more or less fixed fees
and are almost automatically financed each year. After
these major fee users take their portions from the student
fee pie, $8.11 is left for student organizations and
activities.
Because of student fee controversy in the early 1970s,
the NU Board of Regents established a Fees Allocation
Board (FAB) in July 1973, in an effort to give aU student
organizations equal opportunity in receiving Jtudent fees.
FAB terms vary
FAB is comprised of two faculty and two staff
members appointed by Ken Bader, vice-chancellor for
student affairs, and eight students. Five students are
appointed by the ASUM Senate and three are appointed
by the Council on Student Life (CSL). Students are
appointed for one-year terms and faculty members tor
two-year terms. ' , - .
The five members appointed by the ASUN Senate
each represent a major fee user. These include the healtft
center, the Publications Board, ASUN, the Union and
Recreation Dept.
Appointing members from these live groups assure
a diversity of interests on the -board, according to Jim
Lewis, FAB faculty member.
By Jan. 31, FAB will have sent request forms to all
student organizations eligible for student fees. This form
includes totals from last year's budget and estimated
costs for expenses and income for the coming year.
Subcommittees recommend
After fee requests are returned, usually in February,
FAB forms subcommittees to consider individual requests.
The subcommittees make recommendations to ths
board several weeks later. By majority vote, FAB
members recommend fee disbursement and submit the
suggestions to Bader in early spring.
Bader and the UNL chancellor review the recommen
dations and submit them for final approval at the May
regents meeting.
FAB's recommendations usually are changed slightly
by the administration or the regents, Lewis said.
In addition, forms are not sent to religious organiza
tions nor political groups since they have not teen
financed in the past with student fees, and probably will
not receive student fees this year, Lewis said.
Any group which believes it may be eligible for student
fees may submit a request for funds, he said. The budget
form includes background goals of the organization.
Last spring, Lewis said, 43 organizations asked for
student fees. Forty three of these received at least part of
the total funds they requested.
Guidelines used by FAB when distributing funds
include that:
-Consideration should be given to the use of student
fee money for formation of new programs which possibly
could become self-sufficient.
-Organizations should consider thoroughly other
university and private sources of funds before coming to
FAB. Efforts made to secure other funds will be consider
ed in the allocation process.
-Priority will be given to programs which present
diverse points of view.
-FAB will consider requests to finance registration
fees for seminars but will not pay for travel, food and
lodging expenses.
-Allocations will be made cn a program-by-program
basis. Although minor changes are inevitable, the money
must be spent to serve the same purpose for which it was
allocated.
-In considering current requests for funds, FAB will
review the prior use" of FAB-allocated funds by that
group.
-Each organization receiving student fees is asked to
keep detailed records of all expenditures and income.
FAB hearings are open to the public and Interested
persons can speak in opposition to or support of any fee
request.
Students dissatisfied with FAB's recommendation can
appeal the decision to CSL, or may receive a rehearing
by the board.