THEUNVERSITY ^VX THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE EC H oy$) UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT CHATTANOOGA VOLUME 100 ISSUE 18 FEBRUARY 16.2006 Debate rages over State fund reductions activity fee increase put hurt BY ROBBY TRAIL Tuesday. "My concern with going editor-in-chief for one increase is the sudden hit on students on students." BY CLARISA BARNES Officials appear poised to raise Under the three-year fee staff reporter the student activity fee, but how increase plan, the $50 fee would much and when the fee will be be increased to $65 next year, $75 While expenses vary raised is still being debated. in 2007 and $90 in 2008. depending on how many hours a Construction on the $23.8 Debbie Parker, associate student is registered for, full-time million student wellness center is vice chancellor for business and students pay up to $2,250 a year now scheduled to begin no later financial affairs, said the project in fees to help maintain campus than next fall after university will be $2.7 million short at the operations. officials approved the plans and current fee rate. The fees do not include sent them to a fire marshal for "Under Mr. Prevost's plan, housing, meal plans or books. approval. there would still be money left Debbie Parker, associate Campus recreation director to equip the building and pay for vice chancellor of business and Ron Nelson said officials at the UT- other needed things," she said. financial affairs, said it is no joy Knoxville campus approved the Parker said if SGA waits until to see students paying so much, plans because they are confident 2008 to increase the fees, there but it is necessary to manage the SGA is going to approve the may not be enough money to equip university. increase of fees to cover the cost the building. "With state appropriations Adam Keckley of the building. "[Also|, if you delay the declining, in order to offer the Richard Rice, faculty senate president, addressed an audience at one of the budget hearings Students began paying a $50 increase in 2008-09, students same services the university has last week. Rice wants outstanding faculty to be recognized yearly with a merit pay raise. activity fee in 2002 to pay for the will have to deal with other fee had to tax students," Parker said. building. increases as well as a large, one­ Parker said the administration Athletics request $15 fee increase Under the current plans, time increase (of the activity fee]," had to find a way to finance the students will continue to pay for she said. university and having students pay BY ROBBY TRAM. Chancellor Roger Brown said the interests of the students. the building until the loan is paid Nelson said he wants to be able fees was the most feasible idea. editor-in-chief the discussions about a fee increase "If no one stands up and says off in 2028. to fully staff the new building with "Funds at UTC come from are in the early stages, and nothing students do not want this, they will Hugh Prevost, interim vice qualified professionals. two Iprimary) sources: state Athletic department officials has been decided yet. continue to ask for fee increases," chancellor of student development, "We want to have professionals appropriations and student fees," requested a $15 increase to the "I believe it is unlikely we he said. said he is concerned that the there to show students how to use Parker said. "The less amount student athletic fee last week at will ask for an increase in the Senator Eric Fox, who also university will not be able to the weight machines," he said. of money we receive from state university budget meetings. athletics fee this year," he said. co-sponsored the bill, agreed with afford to furnish the inside of the "We also want to have an aquatic- appropriations, unfortunately the The increase in fees would "We have been completely told Mimms, saying SGA must protect building and pay for necessary director to properly take care of mom we have to rely on student cover expenses related to men's by students through their senate the wishes of students. staff with the revenues of the the pool and manage classes." fees." sports, I.aura Mincy, associate- representatives that they do not "I feel our most important role current fee. Nelson said he would like About 48 percent of funding athletic director for compliance, wish to increase the athletics is representation, and this gives us "I'm looking at |the building] to have programs like free CPR comes from the state and 47 said. fee." a chance to voice the concern of as an investment," he said. "We classes to prepare studenls lor percent from student fees, Parker "The last fee was implemented Members of SGA passed students." he said. need to have money set aside to outdoor activities. said. to cover women's sports.' she- a resolution at their meeting Fox said SGA will hold a pay for necessary expenses." It will take a fire marshal four Eric Fox, a senior from Clinton, said. "The men's sports were not Tuesday, strongly opposing the referendum on the athletic fee if Two proposals for increasing to five months to review and Tenn., has mixed feelings about helped by the lee." Increase ot the athletic fee. university officials continue to the fee have been presented. approve the plans. Nelson said. student fees. Athletic director Steve Sloan The bill names several reasons discuss an increase. Prevost said he prefers to After that, university officials "The amount of money coming was unavailable tor comment. for SGA's opposition to the fee "Students will have the gradually increase the fee over the will bid the project out to a from us is going to be necessary Several phone calls to Matt Pope, increase, including the rejection opportunity to voice their next three years. construction company. because the state keeps refusing associate athletic director for of the athletic fee by students in opposition as well and continue SGA president Amy Prevost The company who wins the to increase what they give to internal operations and linance. a spring 2004 referendum and to tell them we think it is an said she supports a one-time project will then begin construction universities," Fox said. "But I were not returned. spiraling costs hurting university unnecessary burden." he said. increase of the fee when the shortly after. don't think [the way fees are More money is needed to fund recruitment and retention. Brown said officials will do building is finished in 2008. Officials said they hope lo have enforced! is fair. Public education several team's travel expense's, Senator Chris Mimms, who co- everything they can do before they "What happens if we ease construction completed and the including the football team, sponsored the bill, said someone See MONEY (the increase| in?" H. Prevost building ready to be opened by the See FEES officials said. needs to say something to protect asked SGA members at a meeting fall semester of 2008. Retail conglomerate Wal-Mart draws consumer controversy BY JAMIE DINKINS views of the world and legislating morality." —;— staff reporter Support for this view appeared in a 1995 Associated Press story that reported Wal-Mart Wal-Mart: evil institution or consumer's friend? pulled T-shirts off its shelves that read, "Someday Many studenls and siatt have qualms about shopping a woman will be president." The retailer called the at the retail giant. shirt "offensive" and "against Wal-Mart's family To some, however, lower prices and convenience values." are the bottom line Clarksville, Tenn., senior Donnie Johnson agreed According to USNews.com, Wal-Mart is the with O'Dea: "I don't shop at Wal-Mart. I dislike the largest private employer in the United States and the w hole concept of what it stands for. It feeds off of largest company in the world with annual sales bigger a complacent consumer culture. They don't see the than Target. Sears. Kmart. JCPenney. Safeway and exploited people behind the lower prices. Wal-Mart Kroger combined. Wal-Mart is ranked 22nd in the has a history of bad human rights record." world in terms of gross domestic product, ahead of According toTime.com, in 1991 Wal-Mart was Saudi Arabia, Norway and Denmark. hit by the largest class action suit ever. Six women This expansion is seen right here in Chattanooga, sued Wal-Mart in California claiming the company a.s a new Wal-Mart is being built at the foot of Signal discriminated against women by systematically Mountain. 10 minutes away from a Wal-Mart near denying them promotions and paying them less Northgate. than men. To some, this growth of Wal-Mart is personally The lawsuit, Dukes v. Wal-Mart, has expanded insulting, as this retail giant represents everything to include more than one million current and former wrong with globalization and big business female employees. It is now being appealed by Wal- "People should think twice about shopping Mart. The plaintiffs claim that while 65 percent of at a corporation that seems hell-bent on world Wal-Mart's hourly employees are women, only 33 domination," Gregory O'Dea. a professor in the percent of their management is female. At Target, Matthew Zmgg English department, said. "It bothers me that Wal- a Wal-Mart competitor, 50 percent of management Wal-Mart continues to expand in Chattanooga, with a store that recently opened in Lookout Mart is such a dominant place in communities.