The Student Government Association Senate voted on Nov. 8 to place on the spring ballot a fee referendum, which proposes that students carrying six hours or less during fall and spring semesters and students carrying at least three hours during summer semesters pay $0.50 per credit hour. If approved by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors and passed by the student body, the fee will go towards the SGA to fund services it provides to students such as the use of the copy machines, legal assistance and free scantrons and pencils during finals. The money could also be allocated into the budget of committees, such as the Campus Improvement Committee, to fund special projects on campus.

Arts and Sciences Senator Justin Michot, who authored the referendum, said all students have the same access to these SGA provided services, but the students who the fee is aimed at currently do not pay any fees to the SGA.

The referendum passed by a vote of ten in favor and three abstentions.

In other business, the Senate discussed moving the day and time of SGA meetings to Monday at 4:30 p.m. for the spring semester.

SGA Adviser Eugene Dial, vice president of student affairs and enrollment services, suggested the meeting day be changed in order to get better press coverage. He said when the SGA held meetings on Monday years ago, more students were involved in what was going on.

The meetings were moved to Wednesday in the late 1990s because the president elect was a football player and the Colonels have football practice on Mondays.

“There was significant more press coverage about the SGA meetings,” Dial said. “If students see something and read about something from week to week, they’re going to get the impression that the SGA is engaged and actively involved.”

Since The Nicholls Worth goes to press on Wednesday at 3 p.m., and SGA’s meetings are at 4:30 p.m., coverage of meetings cannot be included in that week’s issue of The Nicholls Worth.