The Campus Conservative

 (Source: "Backdoor" by Joost Markerink via Flickr) It is clear from recent developments in Texas higher education that so-called Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programming is on the chopping block. For example, in February, the UT-System Board of Regents ordered a system-wide pause on all DEI programs in anticipation of the coming legislative session. Even the Board’s chairman stated that he believed diversity programs had gone too far. Moreover, Texas Republicans in both the Texas House and Senate have also declared restricting DEI's access to state funds (and even its outright abolition altogether) as legislative priorities.  Yet, despite this opposition, DEI proponents could still possibly try to obtain DEI funding by going around legislative appropriations and tuition, and instead to student fees. This is how the university currently funds both its student diversity director position and also social justice center, The Center for Unity. Both receive their fun...

(Source: 401(k) 2012 via Flickr) In my research on student fees, The Student Counseling Center stands out as a unique situation. At roughly $322,000 dollars per year, its budget is the third largest out the $2.6 million Student Service Fee budget. It’s huge!  However, what does The Student Counseling Center actually do that makes it worthy of all that money? In my opinion, the answer is: "not much." I don’t think the counseling center is worthy of student funding and I think the appropriations committee should find a better project for student funding.  For example, one of the reasons for this is because a counseling service is very expensive. For example, just the employee salaries alone in the counseling center’s past appropriations requests often total over $208,000 dollars. What students mostly pay for are skilled counselors who can service student clients with their trained attention. However, on top of this is that the student counseling center's reach is very shor...

("Money - Savings" by 401(K) - 2012 via Flickr) It’s springtime which means The Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC) will soon meet to decide next year’s budget for the student services. Although I believe The Student Services Fee (SSF) was designed to provide students with programs that directly benefit the student constituency, it is unfortunately rife with interference from on-campus special interest groups whom I believe do not have a right to funds. Student services should enhance the student constituency as a whole rather than the special interest groups who become involved with student money in the name of helping the conceptual individual student. Too many campus interest groups have made use of student money to promote their own mission and this at the expense of service to the student body as a collective entity. This should not be. Therefore, SFAC must preserve student money for the student constituency by prohibiting on-campus special interest groups from receivi...