2004-2005

News Release

REF NO.: 135

SUBJECT: MUNSU increases student union fees

DATE: December 15, 2004

The students’ union at Memorial University (MUNSU) has increased union dues for all undergraduate students at the university. The compulsory general fees have been increased from $35 to $45 per semester for full-time students and from $9 to $17.50 per semester for part-time students.

MUNSU’s council approved the increase at a meeting earlier this fall and requested the increase be ratified by the university’s Board of Regents. All student fees collected by Memorial University must be ratified by the Board of Regents, the governing body of the university.

MUNSU’s request for the increase was extraordinary because it marked the first time the students’ union has increased fees without conducting a broad-based referendum on the topic. The university had sought a legal opinion regarding the issue and received advice that MUNSU had the authority to increase the dues without a student vote and that therefore the university could appropriately collect the dues. Consequently, the Board ratified the increase at its December meeting. The increase is effective Dec. 9, 2004. Any student who paid fees for Winter Semester 2005 prior to that date will not be subject to the student union fee increase for that semester. Students paying fees after Dec. 9, 2004, will have to pay the increase.

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