PSSS Nears Fee Recommendation

Kay Bailey

She/Her

Editor-in-Chief

10/14/24

The Plymouth State Student Senate has inched closer to a student fee increase recommendation after October 7th’s meeting. Full time students currently pay $1,378 per semester in student fees, which fund clubs and organizations, transportation, counseling and health services, and athletic teams and facilities, among other things. The University System has approved an increase to those fees, and the Student Senate must recommend to the University Cabinet how that increase is distributed.

Student representatives broke into breakup groups to recommend potential increase distributions. Their recommendations had a particular focus on funds for the counseling center, as well as transportation, the health center, student clubs and orgs, and the HUB. While no official recommendation had been made, Senate Speaker Will Loughlin concluded that the group was leaning their focus towards the HUB, the counseling center, and the student club and organizations at the end of the meeting.

Each recommendation was based on a 3% overall increase to student fees, or $41.34 per student per semester. Lexia Stanley, Class of 2025 Vice President, recommended a $13 (7.8%) increase to the counseling center fee on behalf of her group. Olivia MacLeay, Class of 2028 President, recommended a $15 (9%) increase to the counseling center. Hannah Lowell, Class of 2026 President recommended a $31 (18.6%) increase to the counseling center. 

This comes as the counseling center is down three licensed clinicians and is struggling to meet demand. The counseling center had to introduce a waitlist this year, according to center Director Robert Orf. Student representatives advocating a large increase to counseling center funding hope that will alleviate some of those pressures. “Mental health doesn’t wait for a waitlist,” Lowell said.

There are multiple open seats on the senate’s executive board, including Parliamentarian, Secretary, and Vice Speaker. The Student Senate will fill those seats soon through an internal election, according to Loughlin.

The Student Senate has also approved the third new club of the 2024-2025 academic year. The Pre-Med Professional Society seeks to provide a community and mentoring space for students looking into the medical field. The club would aim to provide internship opportunities and connect students to the medical network, as well as invite guest lectures to club meetings. It will meet biweekly at 4:30pm on Wednesdays in Boyd 138, according to President Gabrielle Gardiner. The club was approved unanimously.