Volume 5, Issue 30 - May 4, 1983

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Volume 5, Issue 30 © Metropress May 4, 1983

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· -Student fees threatened again by Richard Bellizzi

..... Legislation is pending in the Colorado Statehouse which would prohibit the collection of any student fees other than those listed in course schedules as a r~ uirement. The proposed law, an amendment to the Long Bill, was introduced by Rep. Ronald H. Strahle, R-Fort Collins, after a previous amendment was propose.d to require all course and lab fees to be published in cou~ schedules The original amendment to the state's major appropriations bill, ~Rep. Sandy Hume, R-Boulder, was intended to protect students from "hidden fees." Now, the amendment reads '' ... beginning Jan. 1, 1984, no academic or student fee assessnµmt or other payment should be collected from students unless mch fee assessments or other payment is listed as a course requirement in the schedule of courses." The proposal has gotten preliminary approval in both the House and the Senate and now

must be considered by the Conference Committee, which is comprised of members of the Joint Budget Committee. If approved by the Conference Committee, the bill would then go to the Governor's desk, -to be signed into law, vetoed, or after 10 days, automatically- become law.

25 by a 4-3 vote of the Senate State Affairs Committee. The issue ltas been a highly partisan one, opposed by Democrats and supported by Republicans. Senate Affairs Committee Chairman Cliff Dodge, R-Denver, however, ignored partisanship and cast the deciding vote which killed H.B. 1510, suggesting the

"... beginning Jan. 1, 1984, no academic or student fee assessment or

other payment should be collected from students unless such fee assemnents or other payment i3 listed as a course requirement in the schedule of courses." , - Proposed amendment to the LI>ng Bill

use of student fees is an issue best decided by students on campus, not by legislators. Strahle's proposed amendment, House Bill 1510 ~as introduced would eliminate student fees, in March by Rep. Frank which fund many student services DeFilipo, R-Golden, to prohibit such as student activities, student the use of public money by any governments, student centers and state or local government for student newspapers. political purposes, but was The amendment would, amended to apply only to the use however, prevent the collection of student fees. of bond fees from students. Bonds DeFilipo's biµ ·was passed by were sold to fund the building of the House, only to be killed April the Auraria Student Center and

The proposed amendment is the latest action taken on the issue of student fees.

parking lots, with the expectation that students would pay bond fees each semester until the projects were paid for. Should the Long Bill be amended .to prohibit the collection of student fees, the state would no longer receive the income it had from students. That is something the Conference Committee will take into account when it considers the amendment this week. However, because of the party affiliation of the Conference Committee - four Republicans . and 2 Democrats - it's expected the amendment will be passed on to Gov. Lamm for approval. Lamm, who announced his intention to veto H.B. 1510 had it gotten as far as his desk, has also indicated he would use his power to veto any line items in the Long Bill to kill Strahle's amendment. Rep. Hume Monday said there was Republican sentiment to change the amendment to reflect his original intent, which would remove the possibility of discontinuing the assessment of student 0 fees.


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Volume 5, Issue 30 - May 4, 1983 by Met Media - Issuu