75 request student fee refund
Only 75 students requested a refund of their $5 fee to support Student Publications. The refund period expired Monday.
“We’re pleased that 97 percent of the student body recognizes the importance of Central Michigan Life and The Central Review,” said Neil Hopp, director of student media.
CM Life Editor in Chief Chris Gautz said the 75 students who requested the refund is too many.
“I still think it’s too high of a number considering the quality of paper we put out three times a week,” the Adrian senior said. “Five dollars isn’t too much to ask.”
Of those requesting the refund, 64 live off campus.
The Board of Trustees implemented the refundable fee structure in July to replace previous budget support from CMU.
“The fee directly supports publications operations. Without it, CM Life would have to curtail its news gathering and campus support endeavors,” Hopp said.
Gautz said though funding from the fee is a small portion of the budget, the paper wouldn’t be able to function without it.
“If more people would have requested the refund, I may have been forced to fire someone,” he said.
More than 125 students work for CM Life and the Central Review literary magazine. While gaining valuable experience, publications students earn more than $225,000 annually.
“While our student journalists are here for the experience, that income is vital to them,” Hopp said.
The student fee income represents about 17 percent of the annual cost of publications operations. The rest comes from advertising revenue generated by student sales personnel.
