Last week, UC Davis announced that starting March 18, it will begin charging student groups a fee of $10 for using campus classrooms. The income is intended to help offset the $460,000 that was cut from Student Affairs last year.
While it is understandable that the department needs to find an alternate source of revenue, that source should not be the students. Student fees pay for the maintenance of classrooms, and students already contribute exorbitant sums of money to the university. Imposing additional fees for the use of these classrooms just adds insult to injury.
Furthermore, these fees will discourage students from engaging in on-campus activities, because many clubs and other groups will likely be forced to charge dues to their members. This may not have an big effect on large clubs, who can split the cost between their many members, but smaller organizations are likely to find the costs of renting a classroom burdensome.
Clubs are a vital part of a university education. They encourage students to share ideas and broaden their horizons. The university should be taking steps to encourage student participation in on-campus activities, not charging them for it.
Additionally, having fees in place will encourage student groups to hold their meetings off campus. This will take away from the UC Davis community, as clubs and other groups venture into the town rather than remaining in the concentrated haven that is the UC Davis campus. Having clubs leave campus will also dissuade many first-years from getting involved in campus activities, as they will take place further from the dorms.
These are trying economic times, and UC Davis is in severe need of revenue, but placing a tax on a vital part of the college experience is not an acceptable method of funding.
