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Submitted Remarks of Denise Kozlowski, President
Student Advisory Committee
Illinois Board of Higher Education Meeting – October 18, 2005
The SAC met this past weekend at Northeastern Illinois University. This was our annual orientation
meeting. I am very excited that ten public universities, twelve community colleges and eleven private
institutions were in attendance. Don Sevener was our guest speaker on Saturday. We greatly appreciate
his willingness to speak to us and found it very informative, especially to our new members. As always
we welcome all members of the board and board staff to attend our future meetings.
As the SAC reviewed the board agenda, discussions occurred on items number nine and ten.
Diversity is an important issue in higher education, and we value the Minority Student Transfer Centers
and the impact they have. We also endorse the Committee to Review the Higher Education Cooperation
Act Grant Program. We look forward to the findings of this committee and request that a student member
be included.
To conclude my report, I will read the following statement supported by the Student Advisory
Committee:
The Illinois Board of Higher Education Student Advisory Committee has taken issue with
Consent Agenda item number four. It is our understanding that when the fee, which is funding these
projects, was originally presented to the Western Illinois University Student Government Association, it
was to pay for a new sprinkler system for residence halls. After these were installed, the revenues from
the fee might be used to fund other campus projects.
The non-instructional projects being presented to the Board of Higher Education do not include a
sprinkler system for the residence halls. However, the agenda item does contain reference to these
sprinklers stating, “The balance of the revenues will finance other projects on campus, including the
installation of sprinkler systems in residence halls.” The issue with which we take exception is the less
than forthcoming manner in which the trustees made changes to their original intend of this fee revenue.
In accordance with the Student fee policy adopted by the BHE on August 21, 2001, which states:
“Governing boards should ensure that campuses adopt policies that: a) specify the manner in which
students will be consulted on proposals that include new fees for non-instructional purposes or proposals
that significantly restructure existing fee programs…”
The WIU SGA should have been contacted about these alterations prior to submission for IBHE approval
as a final non-instructional capital project. We again stress the importance of all institutions involving
student input not only when creating student fees but when altering them as well.