SGA held their first meeting in two weeks Monday, Feb. 22, after a two week recess. This meeting addressed poignant issues for the student body because presentations of proposed fees dominated the meeting.

Peter Trentacoste, director of University Housing, discussed housing fees that students would see beginning in the fall. The proposed weighted fee increase for housing residents will be approximately 4.64 percent, according to Trentacoste’s presentation.

A large reason for the proposed fee hike is because renovations are needed to some of the residence halls exteriors among other renovations that may be made over the summer months.

Andy Meeks, director of Business Operations and Auxillary, provided the body with a look at food services. His presentation indicated that students should watch for their meal plans to become more expensive with proposed increases ranging from 4.82-5.06 percent.

There is a glimmer of hope as meal transferability for students living in dorms and eating at the residence cafeterias’ looks as if it will be in the final plan for next fall. However, this will be available for an additional fee which will be built into the meal plan cost and comes with stipulations.

Meeks also gave a presentation on the increase of parking fees for university students. The annual student pass proposed will to rise to $195 and the annual pass proposed for Callahan Hall will cost $122, according to Meeks’ presentation. Meeks also said that the university is looking at raising the cost of event parking for the Bank of Kentucky Center but said students with a parking pass will not be charged.

Ken Kline, director of the Budget office, updated SGA on the possibility of per-credit-hour tuition. As the universities policy stands now, students pay per-credit- hour for hours one to 12—12 through 16 hours is a flat fee and hours 17 and up are charged per-credit-hour with a 50 percent discount. Kline says that the university is still in the early planning stages but two models are seriously being considered for the sub-committee in charge of investigating the possibilities.

One model would keep the same model NKU has now, but would charge per-credit-hour for hours 17 plus with no dis- count. Another model would charge per-credit-hour for hours one through 12, with hours 13 plus being charged at a discounted rate per-hour.

Kline stressed that it is important to note that ideas are still being discussed and no fi nal decision has been made.

Kelly Beane, vice-president of the Sociology Club and Meredith Sparkes, president of the Sociology club presented a request to SGA for assistance communicating with other NKU organizations, particularly concerning their March 22 event of the cardboard village during which students will sleep overnight on the plaza in cardboard boxes in an effort to bring the impact of homelessness to campus.

Three new senators were also sworn into the SGA body Monday: Nate Burton, Mike Johnson and Brittany Neal are the newest additions to the SGA senate.

Story by Vern Hockney