Students could pay almost 9 percent more in campus recreation fees in fall 2007 to fundthe proposed installation of artificial turf on LaPlata Beach and an indoor climbing facility in the Campus Recreation Center.
The increase, which would be added into tuition, is stillbeing draftedand will gothrough many approvalsteps before being implemented. It will go before the Student Fee Review Board May 6, said Brent Flynn, associate director for business for Campus Recreation Services.
The lowest possible increase would be $17.76 — almost 6 percent — while the highest would be a $26.37 increase — oralmost 9 percent.
The proposed increases would mark the second consecutive yearthe annual fees went up by more than 3 percent. In the 2002-2003 academic year, the fees did not increase, but they rose $1 the following year and $6 in 2004-2005. The fees will increase by $21 for the next academic year.
The rise in costs will accommodate a spike in utility prices, employee health benefits and salary wage increases, Flynn said.
Additionally, 700 fewer students plan to attend the university in fall 2005 than anticipated, which will lower CRS’ projected revenue by $200,700. The department plans to make up for the decrease through fee increases in its 2007 budget.
The review board will vote whether to replace areas of natural grass on LaPlata Beach with artificial turf at a total cost of $300,000 — $5.33 per student for two years — or to convert a CRC racquetball court into an indoor climbing facility, which will cost $2.30 per student for two years.
John Blair, director of comptroller administration, said the CRS fee is one of many figured into the mandatory fees added to tuition. The mandatory fees include increases for the athleticsdepartment, Shuttle-UM, Stamp Student Union, the student activities fee, auxiliary services and performing arts and cultural centers on the campus.
“Some individual departments may go up more than 5 percent,” Blair said. “But we try to make sure the overall increases are less than 5 percent.”
