Students were given the opportunity to vote on two proposed referendums concerning Student Government Association, peer education fee increases and the election of Mr. and Ms. Nicholls on April 8 and 9.
“I know it is a bad time to ask the students for money, but with the projects planned for the upcoming year and even with cut backs the SGA is predicted to go into the red. Right now we need a money cushion to help us in our current financial crisis,” Alcie Maxwell, the current SGA president, said.
The reason the SGA is asking for a fee increase is because they have spent the money available to them this semester. The money was used for scholarships and student services. According to Maxwell, the SGA is predicted to go into debt by the summertime. Although the SGA worked through going into the red last summer, if they go debt this summer the SGA will not be able to function.
Full-time students enrolled for the fall or spring semester currently pay $5.00 in SGA self assessed fees would pay $7.00. Students who take four or more credit hours during the summer would be assessed $1.00, which is a $0.50 increase.
The money brought in from a fee increase would provide the SGA with a money cushion and money to roll over into the summer with. The SGA would use the money it receives for scholarships, expansion of SGA services, the allocation of money to student organizations and tutoring.
The second referendum on the ballot concerns the fee increase for the peer education program, formally known as peer assistance.
If the referendum for the increase in student assessed fees for the peer education program would pass, students who carry seven or more hours during the fall or spring semesters would be assessed a total of $2.00, which is a $1.00 increase. Students who carry four or more hours during the summer would be assessed $1.00, which is a $0.50 increase.
“The reason we are asking for the fee increase is that we plan to sponsor different events and need additional funding,” Melissa Dyson, coordinator for the peer assistance and health education program, said.
According to Dyson, if the referendum passes the peer education program will look at how much money would be brought in with the fee increase and divide the amount of the money in three areas.
The peer education program would use some of the funds it receives from the increased fee for recruitment events. During the fall and spring the peer education program wants to sponsor or co-sponsor with other student organizations an event to give the students fun and relaxation.
Another area the money would be spent would be for the update of the resource library. Money would be spent to purchase more books, CD ROMs and other computer software available to students for classroom presentations or research. The peer education program is currently planning to have computer information software placed in the Student Union. With this new information system, students could sign in and find information on topics such as alcohol education.
Peer education would also like to pay the student workers who work in the peer education office.
“We are only asking for a dollar increase from students carrying seven hours or more and fifty cents more from all students in the summer,” Dyson said.
The last item on the ballot for students to vote on was the election of Mr. and Ms. Nicholls.
According to Alcie Maxwell, this is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon any student at Nicholls.
This year’s nominations for Mr. Nicholls are James Irwin, mass communication senior from Morgan City; Alice Maxwell, government/history senior from Alexandria and Jason Pellegrin, biology senior from Cutoff.
The nominations for Ms. Nicholls are Keli Bonvillain, business management senior from Thibodaux; Latranda Hills, nursing junior from Thibodaux and Samiko Price, government senior from Thibodaux.
Seniors or juniors who wish to run for Mr. and Ms. Nicholls in the future must turn in a rsum to the student life office. A committee will select the top three male and female students. The committee will judge the students on the same criteria used to pick the Who’s Who Among College Students, and the male and female student who receives the most votes will be declared Mr. and Ms. Nicholls, respectively.