The student senate approved a campus improvement fee proposal which would raise tuition over the next several years at Wednesday’s campuswide open forum.

Those in support of the fee increase defended it as a way to provide renovated science labs and equipment to a revamped Physical Sciences building and address substandard facilities that have fallen into disrepair over the years.

The highly discussed resolution passed by a vote of 23-3-1.

The senate recommendation to approve the fee increase proposed by President Bill Perry will eventually be presented to the Board of Trustees, which will have the final vote.

Dan Nadler, vice president for student affairs, was present at the meeting and said the goal is to include the fee increase proposal on the agenda for the April 26 board meeting.

If ultimately approved by the Board of Trustees, the fee will increase to $2.50 per credit hour in fiscal year 2011, increasing from $12 to $14.50 per credit hour.

This $2.50 increase will continue yearly until the rate reaches $22 per credit hour in FY14.

Eric Wilber, student executive vice president, urged senate members to take ownership of their university rather than waiting for state appropriations, which have been slow to come.

He asked that senate members support the fee increase, which would support the campus and the students who frequent the science buildings in the effort to complete their majors.

“We are living in an environment that is far from ideal,” Wilber said. “We are still waiting on over $1 million for the Doudna Fine Arts Center, and I do not believe we can wait around any longer. We have to create our own destiny.”

Prior to debate on the fee increase, Wilber asked senate members if they would vote to ensure a future for Eastern students to come, or if they would continue to sit and watch the university fall apart around them.

“Yes, this is an 83 percent increase in the campus improvement fee, but it’s a less-than-3-percent increase in tuition,” Wilber said.

Over the course of the 90-minute discussion, many senate members changed their opinion to support the increase.

Senate member John Poshepny opposed the resolution because he said it would cost students too much, which could

discourage enrollment and place an unnecessary burden on students.

He was one of three who opposed the resolution, joined by fellow members DeMarlon Brown and Otis Seawood.

Brown voted against the resolution because he said some students cannot afford to pay their tuition as it stands.

“Now is not the time to add more money on top of all that,” Brown said. “I just don’t feel that this is right.”

Michael Stopka, chair of the shuttle bus committee and candidate for the executive vice president position, told senate members that he changed his mind about voting down the resolution because he said he came to view it as a necessary evil.

He went on a tour of the Physical Sciences building on Tuesday along with fellow senate member Roberto Luna, who reported poor conditions, including cracked countertops, overcrowded offices and brown water trickling from rusted sinks.

“These facilities need improvement, and we cannot count on our state for help,” Stopka said.

Stopka addressed Perry, who sat in the audience, and pleaded with him in the effort to avoid subsequent fee increases.

“President Perry,” Stopka said, “I hope this is the only fee increase planned, because we cannot handle anymore.”

In addition to the fee increase, the senate also approved several other resolutions.

Senate members voted 26-2-0 to reimburse two faculty members for driving delegates to the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport prior to attending the Conference on Student Government Associations, as well as voted unanimously to officially honor the womens’ basketball team for their work over the years.

Members also approved emergency legislation for $82.22 elections advertising for posters and literature.

A resolution requesting $153.72 to purchase eight plaques for the Registered Student Organization Awards was tabled until next week.

Aside from examining legislation, the student senate was given an online tour of the virtual resource center by Justin Schuch. The virtual center Web site is for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer community on campus and is currently under construction.

Erica Whelan can be reached at 581-7942 or [email protected]