In addition to elections for new Student Government Association and Student Programming Association officers and Mr. and Mrs. Nicholls, students will be able to vote on the spirit fee, a five-dollar surcharge to tuition meant to help fund campus spirit groups.If a majority of students vote in favor of the fee, full-time students will be charged an additional five dollars per semester. Lawrence Briggs, former SGA senator for the College of Arts and Sciences, originally proposed the fee on behalf of campus spirit groups, which include the cheerleading squad, Pride of NSU Marching Band, Sixth Man Basketball Band, Colonelette dance team and the color guard.

If the fee is passed, each spirit group will be asked to submit a budget to the SGA’s Oversight Committee. The Committee will decide how the money collected will be dispersed amongst the groups.

Courtney Cassard, director of enrollment services, the department that currently claims the cheerleading squad, and Eric Gueniot, director of the University’s marching and basketball bands, both said they could use the money from the spirit fee to attend more away games.

The cheerleading squad attended only two away games last semester, and the full marching band and dance team attended only one.

Students have been generally approving of the fee. Brian Hill, freshman from Boutte, said the fee would not affect him very much.

“I think we pay enough in fees as it is, but five dollars isn’t a lot of money,” Hill said.

Lindsay Trahan, business administration senior from Houma, said that she would vote in favor of the fee.

“Students need all the money they can get with these budget cuts,” Trahan said. Courtney Braxton, business administration junior from Houma, agreed.

“As long as it’s going towards a good cause like new equipment or to make it to more games, that’s fine,” Trahan said.