At the University of New Mexico, every student pays a student activity fee as part of their tuition. The process for deciding which fees should be applied to a tuition bill varies between schools — at UNM, there are two main parties involved in the student fee evaluation process: the Board of Regents, and the Student Fee Review Board.
The BOR determines what fees will be applied to the tuition bill, how much the fees will be, how they will be allocated and which of those fees will be mandatory for all students.
Some of the board members are UNM alumni themselves, while others offer a wide array of skills that make them valuable to the University and its students. Combined, these members provide experience and knowledge spanning a range of subjects including finance and tax policies, healthcare, sports and criminal justice.
The BOR does not act alone when making tuition-related decisions. On behalf of the student body, the SFRB gives their recommendation to the BOR, as a way of including UNM students in the decision process — especially when it comes to deciding what they will be charged for their education.
Unlike the BOR, the members of the SFRB are current students at UNM, either pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree. While they may not offer the many years of expertise many Regents have, their experiences as students on campus aim to provide a better understanding of what their fellow students are hoping to gain from their college career — whether it be access to campus resources or to University sports and theater events.
Once approved, these fees will generate funding for student services and organizations that aim to better UNM and its many students.
Another portion of student fees goes toward funding UNM athletics and Popejoy events, including theater, dance and music. With four million dollars allocated to athletics and just over 284 thousand dollars distributed to PopeJoy events and theater programs, it is evident that sports and cultural events play a big role in campus life.
“I do go to Lobo games quite a bit, and I go to Popejoy events when it’s something I’m interested in,” UNM student Marcos Lopez said. “I’m completely fine with funding those programs and services.”
Another student, Michael Martin, knows funds go toward the athletic department and Popejoy, he said. “I suppose I’m okay paying for that since it’s a business thing for UNM.”
Pertinent student fees are the ones that provide students with resources that they use frequently throughout their college career, including the Center for Academic Support, Career Services, Student Health and Counseling, the Graduate Resource Center, UNM Public Events and the Student Activity Center.
Kael Krepfl is a news reporter at the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @thelobokael.
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