The Middlebury Campus

Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: Focus

Audio produced by Radio Arts Middlebury.

While glancing over your half-yearly bill from the College, something may have caught your eye on one line item - the Student Activities Fee (SAF) jumped $120. This year's increase of the SAF to $360 has resulted in many benefits including cheaper concert tickets, more events and the introduction of the Social Flex Fund (SFF), according to SGA Finance Committee chairman AnnMarie Wesolowski '08.

Although many students have voiced concern and dissent regarding the higher Student Activities Fee, it had not been raised by more than $10 for the past 10 years, said Wesolowski.

"We sent out a survey to students which confirmed our decision," she said in a recent interview.

The incorporation of Inter-Commons Council (ICC) into the Middlebury College Activities Board (MCAB) - a decision finalized by last year's SGA Finance Committee chair Amanda Goodwin '07.5 - along with an increase in MCAB funds to $245,150 has allowed for more efficient organization of bigger name concerts, such as the Regina Spektor concert on Sept. 29.

"In the past those tickets would have been about $20," said Wesolowski. "Due to the larger budget, we were able to cut ticket prices to $10."

The SFF is another aspect of the expanded budget that the SGA and MCAB hope will bring a boost to the College's social scene.

"The Flex Fund was designed to give students responsibility to create social events, as well as money to do it with," said MCAB Social Committee Chair Caitlin Taylor '08.

The SFF has a budget of $20,000, from which students can receive up to $1,500 for each event, including the expense of registered alcohol.

"While we want [each event] to be accessible to the whole student body, but it only needs to hold 200 people," said Taylor. "Everyone complains about the social life and now we have funds to help students take control of their social life and create…parties that they've always wanted to have."

Continued...

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