Mount Hood

The IFC decides winter term fee and department area funding

The IFC has completed 85% of their fee establishment process, but are still in debate with WOU Administration and Board of Trustees Chair

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

In the third open hearing on Nov. 25, the Incidental Fee Committee evaluated all student feedback they received on fee proposals and department area funding. From their survey sent out to students, it was revealed that 192 students participated in the questionnaire.

Based on their feedback, the IFC ultimately determined all funded areas would receive their full asking amount. However, Interim Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Randi Lydum asked for a budget reduction of approximately $100,000 due to some sports opting out of traveling.

Of the two fees proposed, 62% of the respondents voted on the lesser fee of $150. Unanimously, the IFC agreed to the $150 fee proposal and approval of all area funding proposals. With total operating costs of around $920,000, the IFC is pulling around $270,000 out of reserves.

While the IFC has completed most of its legislative process, they are still being opposed by WOU Administration and Board of Trustees chair Betty Komp. In an emergency IFC meeting held on Nov. 23, IFC members discussed the areas of disagreement between the IFC and the Board of Trustees with President Rex Fuller. 

In the meeting, Fuller voiced he does not agree with changing the current fee structure that was approved by the board in April. Fuller went on to say that he couldn’t fully say whether he would be in support of the IFC’s request of an emergency meeting with the Board of Trustees because he had seen no formal proposal from the IFC.

“I would need to see more of the argument for resolution or the recommendation you are proposing,” said Fuller. “I have not seen a clear definitive argument that you want the board to consider. What I’ve seen are ideas.”

Although Fuller says he is unwilling to have the IFC change their fee midyear, many IFC members explained that their attempts to meet with the Board of Trustees during the summer were denied, believing the discussion would be better at a later date. According to IFC Vice Chair Nick Denning, when ASWOU President NJ Johnson and President Fuller were discussing the million dollar deal, Fuller said the IFC would be given time to discuss fee applications in the winter..

“In an email that you (President Fuller) sent to NJ regarding what your plans were for winter term,” said Denning, “we (The IFC) agreed we would take your million dollars on the condition that you would plan to organize 2020-2021 IFC at the earliest possible date in order to advance incidental fee for winter and spring term of 2021. This work will form the basis joint presentation to the board of trustees at the Nov. 18 meeting.”

At this time, due to the unwillingness of the Board of Trustees to initiate an emergency meeting — granted by the bylaws — and President Fuller’s plans to withdraw funding for winter if the IFC continues its process, the IFC will continue to look into writing an appeal to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

The IFC makes preliminary funding decisions

The IFC faces threats of funding withdrawal and being denied consultations for applying a fee

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

Over the course of several months, Western administration and the Incidental Fee Committee have been in debate over the IFC’s Incidental Fee.

For winter term, it was discussed in the committee’s Oct. 29 meeting that President Rex Fuller would potentially be supplying another $1 million stimulus from the online tech fee — similar to funding supplied in fall term. IFC members briefly discussed applying a flat rate fee of $25 in comparison to their current fee system: students with one to five credits pay $265, and students with more than six credits pay $395.

In their Nov. 5 meeting, the committee announced that President Fuller changed his $1 million offer to $415,000 on the condition that the committee does not attempt to make any mid-year fee modifications and maintains their two-tier system approved back in spring 2020. 

In an email sent to ASWOU President NJ Johnson, President Fuller projected IFC expenses totaling $900,000 due to winter term being less expensive. Fuller cited that remaining funding for winter term would come from the $100,000 carryover from fall term, $85,000 from the current IFC fee and $300,000 from the $1.3 million in IFC reserves.

Despite Fuller’s conditions, the IFC has opted to carry out its normal governing processes — an extensive list — protected by OR statute 352.105.

“(There are) serious problems making our committee rely on online fee,” said junior philosophy English double major and IFC member Nick Denning in the fourth meeting transcripts. “No control over the amount of money we receive, administration is doing that all on their own and they decide what to charge and where money goes. All of a sudden we are reliant on online tech fees. (We) cannot criticize it because (our funding) will go away.”

Following their own timeline and deciding to not rely on Fuller, the IFC approved all preliminary budget proposals in their fifth meeting held on Nov. 12. Although the IFC requested areas to present budget proposal reflecting 50% funding, areas such as Student Media received an additional $1,500 to meet their needs, so they would not need to pull money from their reserves; Campus Recreation was given an additional $5,000 to increase workers to full time; Creative Arts received an additional $1,000 for student employment; ASWOU’s budget was given an additional $4,452 to allow Office Coordinator to be 1.0 FTE; Athletics requested funds for both winter and spring term in preparation for plane ticket purchases if travel is allowed.

After approving budget proposals, the committee discussed potential fee prices; in their deliberation, the IFC agreed to two possible fee scenarios. The first scenario involves all students, regardless of whether they are taking an online class, paying a flat rate fee of $150 and around $360,000 would be taken from reserves if the committee is not able to convince the Board of Trustees to lower the online tech fee. In the second scenario, if the IFC can bring down the price on the online tech fee, then all students, regardless of whether they are taking an online class, would pay a flat rate fee of $175 and around $250,000 would be taken from reserves.

Additionally, newly elected IFC Chair Makana Waikiki announced that although she attempted to request a Dec. 16 emergency meeting with the Board of Trustees, Chair Betty Komp did not reply to Waikiki. Instead, Komp only replied to ASWOU President Johnson, saying that she couldn’t endorse an emergency meeting.

At this time, due to the unwillingness of the Board of Trustees to meet with the IFC and President Fuller’s plans to withdraw funding if IFC continues its process, the committee intends to submit an appeal to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to have the IFC’s situation discussed at their Dec. 10 boarding meeting. Until then, the IFC is continuing to the next phase of their fee establishment process: open hearings being held via Zoom on Nov. 19 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and Nov. 20 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. During these hearings, members of the community can voice their concerns on fees or advocate for more funding in various areas. To participate in the hearings, visit https://wou.edu/ifc/.

As more information is released, the story will be updated.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

IFC deliberates the winter term fee and another million dollar deal

Incidental Fee Committee meets to discuss budget and fee proposals for winter term 

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

During the summer, the Board of Trustees determined the Incidental Fee Committee could not apply their fee to students taking online classes in the fall.

Currently, members of the IFC are discussing their plans for the upcoming winter term in Zoom meetings they host every Thursday. In the three meetings attended, starting on Oct. 15, the committee has established a 50% budget for each funded area. For fall term, the IFC received 52% of its funding after ASWOU President NJ Johnson and Western President Rex Fuller made a million dollar deal. However, the deal was made with the intent to fund the IFC only for fall term.

“The online course fee is not designed, as a general proposition, to supplement incidental fees,” said Fuller. “Due to the unique situation of fall 2020 being almost 95% online, I offered to ASWOU a $1M allocation of online course fee revenue to ease the revenue shortfall to support student services funded by incidental fees.”

In the IFC’s third meeting hosted on Oct. 29 however, it was revealed by Johnson that after the IFC’s second meeting held on Oct. 22, he and President Fuller met to discuss potentially receiving another one million dollar stimulus package. From the third meeting’s transcript, Johnson explained that a stimulus package was possible but could not answer affirmatively. IFC Chair Juliana Cameron and Johnson plan to meet with Fuller to solidify the deal.

In addition to the million dollar stimulus, the IFC intends to apply their fee this term.

“We should charge a fee, not just to keep service and staff, (but) to give students a say. We should charge as little as possible,” said sophomore political science major and IFC member Quentin Kanta.

Cameron affirmed with Kanta, voicing potentially applying a $25 fee for winter term. All members were in agreement that the fee should be kept low. Before the IFC can apply their fee, the decision to give the IFC power to define a fee-paying student — made by the Special IFC in the summer — must be approved by the Board of Trustees.

All funded areas must present budgets reflecting 50% funding and include money left over from fall term. All fee proposals, budget outlines and stimulus agreements must be submitted to the Board of Trustees by Nov. 18. The IFC is not being required to go through a subcommittee this time. 

As more information is released this story will be updated.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

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