Last Thursday, the Student Government Association passed a recommendation to increase student fees to fund student travel study.

If approved by a local committee and by the UT Board of Trustees, a $5 per semester increase to the Student Activities Fee will be assessed to every student beginning next fall. The non-athletic portion of the Student Activity Fee would increase from $45 to $50 if SGA has their way. Funds generated by the fee would help students pay for travel study and study abroad.

SGA estimates roughly $60,000 per year will be generated to fund the account. Access to the fund would be available to students who participate in university-sponsored travel study or study abroad programs and who are full-time students in good academic standing.

Students would be required to submit an application, and a committee of faculty and students would be created to administer award. The committee would distribute the funds proportionally based on the number of students who apply. Awards would be given regardless of major or relevance to coursework. According to SGA estimates, the fund would pay for between one-third and one-half of students’ travel fees. SGA hopes that through the travel study fee, travel will be more accessible to more UTM students. The appropriateness of the fee would be reassessed in two years. No other UT campus currently has a travel study fee.

The concept of a travel study fee began three semesters ago and was finally brought up for a vote on Feb. 17 by SGA’s Academic Affairs Committee. Rachel Albritton, the committee’s chair, said she supported the fee because graduate schools and employers are searching for graduates who are more culturally aware and that travel study is the best way to achieve such awareness. Albritton believes the fee would make travel study more accessible to students who otherwise would not participate.

Stan Sieber, Coordinator for Travel Study and Study Abroad, is excited about the possibility of more students being able to travel. “I think it would help some students who really need help paying for it,” Sieber said. “There really aren’t many ways to help now. We’re constantly looking for ways to help finance travel study, and [the fee] would be one more avenue for financial help.” Sieber added, “I’m constantly being bombarded by students wanting to find money to help them travel.”

Helmut Wenz, who teaches domestic and international tourism, is “all for” the fee “if it is managed properly.” Wenz said, “I encourage students to travel. I conduct international trips and it always bothers me that some students who can’t pay don’t get to go.” Wenz has conducted university trips to every continent except Australia and Antarctica, and he is currently planning a trip to the American Southwest in May.

SGA President Dusty Dean endorsed the passage of the recommendation. “This is paramount legislation for UTM and demonstrates that UTM is leading the way to address the educational and economic needs of our students by providing resources for globalization,” Dean said.

However, SGA Sen. Kevin Anderson did not believe instituting a travel study fee would be beneficial and voted against the recommendation. “I do not like every single students paying for a few students to go on a travel study,” Anderson said.

Charles Grove, a senior Accounting major from Cordova, does not agree with SGA’s recommendation.

“I really don’t think it’s a good idea,” Grove said. “I think you should get [the money] back if you don’t do [a travel study].”