Differential tuition issue passed
Senator proposes amendment after previous attempts to cut service learning money were defeated
Nathaniel Shuda
Issue date: 3/9/06 Section: Campus News
A change to the proposed differential tuition allocation that increased the minimum amount of money given to student-faculty collaborative research passed by a vote of 11-6-4 Monday night.
Student Senate Public Relations Director Jacob Boer proposed the amendment, which increased the allocation from 30 percent to 34 percent, after Senate failed to pass two previous amendments that would have taken money from Service Learning and innovative projects.
Boer called the current system "forced volunteerism," which is something that, he said, is not effective.
"There is something very taboo about messing with Service Learning," he said. "But if this fails today, I'm going to push the issue."
Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Steve Tallant, who attended the meeting, said cutting funding to Service Learning wouldn't stop the program because it is a graduation requirement.
"We were the first public university in the country to require this 10 years ago," he said, adding that UW-Eau Claire is now only one of five such universities in the United States. "We are a pioneer."
Although Boer said that a cut in Service-Learning funding would probably require additonal funding from other sources, which might increase class size. Tallant said he would have considered every possibility before acting.
Student Senate Public Relations Director Jacob Boer proposed the amendment, which increased the allocation from 30 percent to 34 percent, after Senate failed to pass two previous amendments that would have taken money from Service Learning and innovative projects.
Boer called the current system "forced volunteerism," which is something that, he said, is not effective.
"There is something very taboo about messing with Service Learning," he said. "But if this fails today, I'm going to push the issue."
Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Steve Tallant, who attended the meeting, said cutting funding to Service Learning wouldn't stop the program because it is a graduation requirement.
"We were the first public university in the country to require this 10 years ago," he said, adding that UW-Eau Claire is now only one of five such universities in the United States. "We are a pioneer."
Although Boer said that a cut in Service-Learning funding would probably require additonal funding from other sources, which might increase class size. Tallant said he would have considered every possibility before acting.