by Lyndsey Rogers, staff writer
Students at Pikes Peak State College pay institutional fees every semester. What does the money for these fees go to? Well, from November 20 to December 4, students have the chance to vote on a proposed fee using a link sent to their PPSC email address.
PPSC has closed the on-campus Child Development Centers or CDC for short. SGA is proposing the previous fee used to operate and combat debts of the CDC is instead changed to a student services fee.
If it is agreed upon to change the fee than the name will change to “Student Assistance Fee.” The fee will primarily be used to pay off CDC debts and to increase student resources such as mental health services, scholarship opportunities, and aid in student support costs.
Currently, there is only one mental health counselor for the college. Some of the money not used for paying debts will be used to assist in funding for more access to mental health and crisis counseling at PPSC.
Scholarship opportunities are also expected to increase with the use of the left-over funds.
Assistance with student support and materials such as food, transportation, hygiene, textbooks, and course materials will also be supported by using the remaining funds from the proposed fee to help students with the cost.
Students enrolled in more than four credits are charged $25 and students enrolled in fewer than four credits are charged $12 per semester.
As debts of the CDC are paid off, the extra revenue from the proposed Student Assistance Fee and how it is distributed will be re-evaluated based on collaboration between college administration and student government to decide where the funds will best be used.
