Fee for the Future
SA Leaders defend student fee increase referendum

For the second time this school year, the Student Association wants to know if the student body would like to see the mandatory student fee raised.

Student Association Senate Finance Chair Matt Cohen (GWSB-U) and SA Vice President for Student Affairs Dan Curran called the measure "necessary" on Friday in an interview on GWTV.

"If groups were to request the same amount they request [if this passes], we'd pretty much be able to satisfy every request," Cohen said.

If passed, the increased fee would only affect incoming students. Conservatives on campus have compared this tactic to raising taxes on people who have no say in the matter.

Curran said that was a "glass half empty way of looking at it." He said it was our responsibility to future generations of students to raise the amount of money available to student organizations.

When asked if he thought the referendum to raise the student fee in the past had failed because students actually were against the measure, Curran said that there was more of chance that those who did support it were forgetting to vote.

"In my opinion the majority of students, at least those who are involved, I could not see them not wanting this," said Cohen.

Students can vote on the matter Tuesday, February 5, 2008 through the MyGW portal web site. If the measure passes, it still has to be approved by the Board of Trustees to go into effect.

Outside Links
> GW Patriot: "Responding to Cohen and Curran"
> GW Hatchet: "SA to hold second election on student fee increase"
> GW Patriot: "The Student Fee Referendum: Redux"
> GW Patriot: " If at first you don't succeed...."
> GW Hatchet: "Leaders irked at failure of student fee" (September 2007)

Let's make a deal
Adjunct faculty settles new contract for pay raises

After a long battle, the University struck a two-year deal with adjunct faculty concerning pay raises and job security over winter break. Our guest on this Upfront: Jill Robbins, a part-time faculty member and member of the union negotiating team.

"I think that actually any employer will, given the opportunity, exploit their workers and get as much out of them for as little pay as they can get away with," said Robbins when asked to respond to a recent OpEd in the St. Petersburg Times. "University faculty have never been historically well paid as doctors or lawyers."

> Watch the full episode

More on this story:
> GW Hatchet: "University professors settle contract"
> GW Hatchet: "Union, University agree on contract"
> St. Petersburg, FL Times: "Opinion: Professors take the long course in poverty"
> SIEU Local 500 Website