The latest word...
OHSU has made a decision to keep the March Wellness center open. It will apparently be consolidated into one floor, to save costs. It has been proposed that the gym at the old fitness center/coming student union be utilized for classes and intramural sports to replace these services for students that want them.
It appears that the administration made this decision assuming that the students will continue to contribute a large sum of money through the incidental fee. The incidental fee task force has been working with the thought that this would not be the case. I am personally tired of the university making these decisions without student input. It is likely that the report from the task force will recommend either severing ties with the march, or at the very least an opt out clause for students who do not wish to be enrolled. HOWEVER, this would only be a recommendation, and the provost/president could reject or amend the fee to their own accord.
It is imperative that students make their opinions known on this immediately. Students need an affordable, optional place to work out. March is currently neither of these things. With the graduate council passing responsibility to graduate students, the March fee will come out of your stipend unless we fix this. It is clear now that our opinions have been falling on somewhat deaf ears.
Please fill out THIS SURVEY . (It's different from the previous one)
The GSO will convene on Wednesday, April 2 (see below). The incidental fee task force will have met earlier in the day, and I'll have all the latest.
There will be another Incidental Fee Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday, April 8th (5 PM, Old Library). Dr. Lesley Hallick, OHSU Provost has pledged to be in attendance. This may be the last time this year for students to make their point to the administration about March for the coming year.
I'm doing all I can, but I think at this point what we need is a large collective student voice, explaining that we will not tolerate being forced to pay an exorbitant fee for the march center, especially when our input on its future is not being taken into account.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Student Services
The office of Academic & Student Affairs wants to make your student life better. Recent tort cap grumblings aside, OHSU wants to improve student services to accommodate what OHSU students want. These services include Student Health, the Financial Aid Office, the OHSU bookstore, the Center for Diversity & Multicultural Affairs, the library, fitness and sports (obviously this one has become an important issue lately...), etc. But making student services better cannot be achieved without knowing what students want. And so the Academic & Student Affairs office is soliciting students for a focus group to discuss how OHSU can improve student services.
There will be two meetings total, likely around an hour each, and food and refreshments will be provided. Those that have something to say should contact Jason Deignan at deignanj@ohsu.edu no later than 4/1.
There will be two meetings total, likely around an hour each, and food and refreshments will be provided. Those that have something to say should contact Jason Deignan at deignanj@ohsu.edu no later than 4/1.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Incidental Fee Survey
Please take a few minutes to fill out this survey and let us know your thoughts on the incidental fee. The data collected here will be used by the Incidental Fee Task Force to put together a proposal for next years' fee.
thanks
thanks
Monday, March 03, 2008
March/Incidental update
Word has trickled down from the powers that be that the March center will be closed at the end of June, unless an outside group is found to outsource operations. There are legal issues with the bonds that were taken out to finance the building that significantly limit the options the university can explore. Despite the investment of over a million dollars from OHSU students, no student input is being taken on this next set of decisions.
At this point, the student council has opted not to wait out this process, and instead is approaching the incidental fee process with the intention of eliminating the March component of the fee, thus ending the shaky relationship between the students and the March Wellness Center. If the facility remains open, we would explore whether a student rate can be set, but at this point, it seems inappropriate to consider extending the commitment that was in place this year, where all students contributed to the March through the incidental fee.
For PhD students, this means you will not be charged the $168/term fee of which the graduate council voted to suspend payment. (The $1000 raise should stay in place). However, you will no longer have access to the March center.
In order to maintain fitness options for students, we are exploring the possibility of converting a portion of the old gym/pending student union back into a limited fitness facility. Although there is hope that some equipment can be re-appropriated from March, there will likely be a capital investment necessary to make the necessary improvements. The incidental fee and student union task forces are currently crunching numbers to determine the real expenses (both permanent costs and one-time costs). Expect surveys to be emailed soon, and these matters will be discussed at the GSO meetings, and upcoming incidental fee town halls.
At this point I have not discussed this with the graduate council, and do not know how they will approach this matter in terms of breaking down PI/Student payment given a scenario where the incidental fee is raised (from 150/term) to pay for this conversion.
More as it happens.
At this point, the student council has opted not to wait out this process, and instead is approaching the incidental fee process with the intention of eliminating the March component of the fee, thus ending the shaky relationship between the students and the March Wellness Center. If the facility remains open, we would explore whether a student rate can be set, but at this point, it seems inappropriate to consider extending the commitment that was in place this year, where all students contributed to the March through the incidental fee.
For PhD students, this means you will not be charged the $168/term fee of which the graduate council voted to suspend payment. (The $1000 raise should stay in place). However, you will no longer have access to the March center.
In order to maintain fitness options for students, we are exploring the possibility of converting a portion of the old gym/pending student union back into a limited fitness facility. Although there is hope that some equipment can be re-appropriated from March, there will likely be a capital investment necessary to make the necessary improvements. The incidental fee and student union task forces are currently crunching numbers to determine the real expenses (both permanent costs and one-time costs). Expect surveys to be emailed soon, and these matters will be discussed at the GSO meetings, and upcoming incidental fee town halls.
At this point I have not discussed this with the graduate council, and do not know how they will approach this matter in terms of breaking down PI/Student payment given a scenario where the incidental fee is raised (from 150/term) to pay for this conversion.
More as it happens.
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