After carefully reviewing the Student Technology Committees (STC) Budget for the 2009-2010 fiscal year by university and senior SGA officials, the SGA committee has agreed to approve a revised version of the budget. Students pay at least $120 annually in fees to support technology around campus. SGA chief of staff Jenita Blue stated, “One of our concerns as student leaders is that students haven’t benefitted from technology-oriented classroom instruction.”
“It’s okay to invest in wireless internet and new desktops, but in the year 2009, professors shouldn’t be using chalk boards and VCRs anymore.”
The revised budget includes monies to fund an E-book Reader (reading device similar to an iPod), graphing calculators, and a digital voice recorder rental program through the library.
The revised budget also allocates $130,000 to implement a campus wide communication system, consisting of interactive kiosks that would allow students to find out important campus information. This includes but isn’t limited to certain deadlines, events, campus maps, and emergency notices.
Whereas the original budget proposed to invest $66,000 in telephone maintenance and $75,000 in installing cameras. SGA President Steven Jackson believed it was too much being invested in out-of-class projects and not enough going toward instruction.
After meeting and conversing with the class presidents, LaMark Hughes, SGA Vice President, noted that the adjustments made to the revised Student Technology Budget provide significant investments that will directly enhance student technology with regards to student in-class instruction.
“The adjustments provide $10,000 in order to increase resources for professors to use for instruction,” added Hughes.
Senior Class President Dafnee Chatman would like to see money allocated to have the lab open past midnight for late night students who may work in the evening or throughout the day.
“The class presidents have given great input and support. At this point and time all we hope to see is that the entire committee approves the budget,” said Blue.
Itemized copies of original and revised budgets can be obtained from the SGA office.