The Student Government Association of Bakersfield College recently approved a motion to raise the Student Health Fee, and the Academic Senate wants to hear student feedback on the new waitlist system for registration for classes.
According to Bill Cordero, president of Student Services, the Student Health Department gets into debt every semester, which necessitates the raising of the student health fee from $12 to $13.
The Board of Governor’s Waiver (BOGW) does not cover the health fee. According to Don Turney, adviser to SGA, the Student Health Department is “in the hole” by $70,000. Turney also says the Kern Community College District has the right to bump up the student health fee by a $1 every now and then.
“Most community colleges say, ‘Screw ’em’ (the students). Just make them pay for it. We’re asking the students’ permission to raise the student health fee,” Turney said.
The issue of the student health fee was brought to SGA, according to Turney.
The worst-case scenario, said Turney, is that the Student Health Center would close.
In regard to the waitlist system, according to one student representative, who did not want to be identified, the Academic Senate wants to “tweak the system a little, to improve it.”
The representative stated that the senate wants the waitlists in general to be trimmed down. In other words, the senate does not want 15 people on a waitlist for a class when there is no chance that they could get in. Also, the student representative noted that the system drags out longer than the add-slip system.
“The waitlist system is a work-in-progress,” concluded Turney.
Upcoming events, such as Spring Fling, were discussed during a recent SGA meeting. Costs for various aspects of Spring Fling were noted. The total cost for Spring Fling, including costs for entertainment and awards were estimated at $1,500.
The band Soul Ajar has been recruited to play during the event.
In another meeting, the status of the SGA budget was enthusiastically discussed, as well as the necessity of student stipends.
In regard to the SGA budget, Turney said, “We’re light years ahead. We know where we are and what we’re spending.”
As for the needfulness of SGA stipends, Turney said, “In 1980, the student government (at BC) was dead. It was a joke. It’s been said that a (student government) stipend is a lynchpin of stability of student government.”