The Daily Bulletin Archive

From the Interim President
At its April 16, 2010, meeting, the College Senate voted to forward to the interim president a recommendation to increase the Student Health Fee by $15 per semester (for full-time students and pro-rated for part-time students), effective with the fall 2010 semester.

Resolution regarding Health Fee Increase
Prepared by the College Senate Budget and Staff Allocations Committee and amended by the College Senate
Spring 2010

Whereas, maintaining adequate access to physical and mental health services for our students is considered an essential part of providing a safe and nurturing campus environment, such that starting in fall 2007, the Student Health Fee was raised by $40 per semester for full-time students, from $75 to $115 per semester (pro-rated for part-time students), an increase of over 50 percent; and

Whereas, mandatory fees represent a sizeable fraction of the cost of attending Buffalo State and students have recently been asked to pay higher tuition, which taken together are straining our students’ ability to pay for a college education at Buffalo State in difficult economic times; and

Whereas, the Buffalo State Student Health Advisory Committee has now proposed another $15 per semester increase in the Student Health Fee, which if adopted, would raise the total fee for full-time students to $130 each semester starting in fall 2010; and

Whereas, there are a variety of other options available (e.g., fee for use, reimbursement from health insurance, grants, NY State funds) to partially offset the ever-increasing costs of providing health services to our students;

Therefore, be it resolved that the Buffalo State College administration should seek an increase in the Student Health Fee beginning in fall 2010 of $15 per semester, thereby raising the total fee to $130 per semester for full-time students (pro-rated for part-time); and

Be it also resolved that the Buffalo State College administration should earnestly and immediately examine and implement means other than the Student Health Fee to offset the costs associated with operating our student health services, thereby lessening our dependence on Student Health Fee revenues for the operation of these programs.

I approve an increase in the Student Health Fee of $15 per semester for full-time students (pro-rated for part-time students), effective fall 2010. I charge the vice president for student affairs with the responsibility of preparing a report by November 1, 2010, that describes the possibilities for alternative funding support for this fee that include but are not limited to the options cited in the above resolution.