The Student Fee Review Board's town hall meeting, billed as an open forum for students to voice concerns about departmental fund allocation, turned out to be a missed opportunity for UNM students.
Two students attended the Monday night meeting in Dane Smith Hall, which broke down the fee, included in tuition, paid by each UNM student. The meeting also explained how much money the review board would recommend for various departments and University organizations this year.
The role of the Student Fee Review Board is to recommend to the UNM president and the Board of Regents where funds should be allocated, said Lorena Olmos, president of GPSA.
The town hall meeting was designed for students to provide feedback about where funds should go, said Jennifer Onuska, president of ASUNM.
She added that it's important for students to come to these meetings.
"Obviously, we would listen to student concerns. We try to make conscious decisions with students in mind," Onuska said.
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The application process that departments and University organizations follow to request funds from the fee review board asks how they will use the money, whether it is earmarked or part of a larger budget and inquires about the status of ongoing projects, Olmos said.
"We want to know how budget increases will directly affect the UNM population," Olmos said. "The money has to be spread thinly, because there is not a huge pot."
Organizations that the review board has recommended for allocation increases include African American Student Services, American Indian Student Services and El Centro de la Raza. Each of those organizations has received recommendations for increases of $4,500, which is one of the largest increases in the board's proposal.
Olmos said that 95 percent of the funds included in the budget are for recurring allocations, such as African American Student Services, while the remaining funds go to the eight "above the line" departments.
Included in those eight departments are Athletics, which receives $707,100 annually, and Library - $160,000, servicing all campus libraries. Olmos said those figures are based on enrollment.
The budget is drawn from a student fee, which is included in tuition, Onuska said.
The $274.10 student fee is divided into a facility fee, a student government fee and a student activity fee, said Amanda Sims, the two-year undergraduate appointment to the Student Fee Review Board.
Student government receives $40, with $20 each going to the Associated Students of UNM and the Graduate and Professional Student Association. The facility fee takes $106.25 and the remaining $147.85 goes to the student activity fee.
The SFRB's portion comes from the student activity fee, Onuska said.
The review board will have hearings January 17 and 18, during which departments will request funds, Olmos said. However, the board's recommendations still have to clear the UNM president and the Board of Regents will give final approval.
The next town hall meeting will be January 27, at a site to be announced this week or next, Onuska said. She said all students are encouraged to attend.
