Monday, January 25, 2016 www.usustatesman.com (435)-797-1742 Free single copy
NEWS | Legislative Bills
SPORTS | The 80's return
At least 14 bills could affect USU in the upcoming 2016 legislation session, including those surrounding mental health and guns on campus.
N64's and record players help women's basketball fill seats.
see PAGE 2
STUDENT LIFE | Food on Campus Cheap, filling breakfast available at on-campus dining locations.
see PAGE 5
see PAGE 6
Money talks PHOTO BY Mandy Morgan Ditto Student Fee Board members prepare for presentations from on-campus organizations for possible fee increases towards their budgets. By Shanie Howard WRITER
The Student Fee Board at Utah State
University held its first meeting Wednesday
night for presentations on student fee increase proposals for the 2016-17 academic year.
Four organizations on campus requested to
have additional students fees placed towards their programs in the coming school year, including Activities, Health and Wellness, Music and Theater, and Athletics.
vice president and director of athletics,
proposed a student fee increase of $10 per student for the Athletics department.
The $10 increase would be added to the
current athletics fee of $135.14, a 7.5 percent rise.
Hartwell said the current budget of the USU
are to the USU student body, John Hartwell,
Department?” Major said.
Hartwell admitted to having financial
Linda Zimmerman, director of SILC, and
Kevin Webb, associate director of the center, presented the proposal.
They are asking for the money to increase
$32.6 million. Only 15 percent of the budget is
the department was fired.
new legislation that calls for non-exempt
and the projected budget for next year is currently made up of student fees.
He said the funds from this increase would
a new sound system, and that a new video
pointing out how beneficial athletic programs
are we really just bailing out the Athletics
with 12 to 18 credits.
the salary for four of the advisers within
After comparing the USU athletic budget to
ence — the Aggies are dead last — and
“This last year you went about $500,000 in
the hole … so by granting you this increase,
Currently, the SILC fee is $31.85 and the
Statesman fee is $4.10 for a full-time student
difficulties during the past year and that as a
be used to benefit students by adding two new
other colleges in the Mountain West Confer-
Major, a student-at-large on the fee board.
Athletics program is just shy of $29.3 million
Of the four organizations, Athletics asked
for the largest increase.
from the increase was challenged by Casey
result, a member of the financial advisers for “So we are in the process of fixing that,”
Hartwell said.
The student fee for Activities is split
video boards to the football stadium as well as
between two places in the Student Involve-
board would be added to both USU’s soccer
Involvement and Leadership and the States-
and softball fields.
The true intent of how the Athletics Depart-
ment is planning on spending the revenue
Student Involvement to exempt pay, due to employees to work a strict 40 hours a week instead of having salary-based pay, with a “work until the job is done” expectation.
There are three solutions Zimmerman and
ment and Leadership Center (SILC): Student
Webb presented to manage the legislative
man. Activities is asking for an increase of
academic year. These solutions include the use
$2.42 overall — $1.71 for the SILC fee and 71 cents for the Statesman fee.
change, which will be effective in the 2016-17 of some of SILC’s reserve fund for one year,
see “Fee Board” PAGE 7
Throwback for
Traditions Week 2016 By Shanie Howard WRITER
Utah State University’s annual traditions
week this year will begin on Jan. 25, in
celebration of the unique traditions of USU.
This year’s theme for traditions week is '90s
throwback. Daily events will incorporate the theme all week including Dancing with the Stars on Monday, a Snowman Gallery on
Tuesday, High Stakes Bingo on Wednesday, a performance from the a cappella group
Filharmonic and the week will end with a
Throwback '90s dance followed by True Aggie Night.
Dancing with the Stars is a new tradition for
Utah State University that Alex Aburto,
will get the opportunity to show off their
background for this event comes from an old
Student Association programming, hopes will
Snowman Gallery. The Snowman Gallery has
path between Old Main and the Agricultural
“It will be a really good event to showcase
hasn’t been featured as an event for the past
traditions chair for Utah State University
snowman building skills on the Quad in the
catch on in the next few years.
been a tradition for the past 30 years though it
both sides of what the students can do but at
few years due to the lack of snow.
talents of our stars,” Aburto said.
in the Taggart Student Center ballroom and is
athletes and leaders along with some of the
event will follow the '90s theme, including
the event will get the Mirror Ball Trophy.
Earlier that day the Student Alumni Associa-
the same time expose students to different
The stars for this event will include student
university administration, and the winner of On Tuesday different campus organizations
Wednesday’s High Stakes Bingo will be held
free for all students to attend. Prizes for the pogo sticks, magic eight balls and scooters. tion will be hosting the Hello Walk. The
belief that “No student can walk along the
GRAPHIC BY Marcus Haslam
“The Filharmonics were actually in the Pitch
Perfect 2 movie so it’s really exciting to have
Science Building without someone saying
them come here,” said Aburto.
give students a chance to meet more people,
have songs from famous '90s artists including
path as well.
Destiny’s Child. At the end of the dance
nity to meet new people and to have fun,” said
A by Old Main for True Aggie Night.
hello to them." To celebrate that belief and
games and free tacos will be set up along the “I love the Hello Walk; it’s a great opportu-
Maegan Kasteler, VP of traditions for SAA.
Thursday’s event is a performance by the
Acapella group known as the Filharmonic.
The '90s throwback dance on Friday will
Brittany Spears, the Backstreet Boys and
students are invited to head over to the block
— shaniehoward214@gmail.com