SAC Archive News
Monthly Media Updates : February 2000
Students Applaud Governor's Change of Plans For HOPE
Georgia's student leaders applauded Governor Barnes' decision to allow the HOPE scholarship program to continue to pay all mandatory student fees for qualifying students at Georgia's 34 public colleges and universities. Under the Governor's original proposal, certain fees would have been excluded, costing HOPE scholars as much as $191 per semester to continue their education. Also included in the Governor's plan, and strongly supported by students, are proposals to allow college seniors to regain HOPE eligibility, eliminate the "Pell Offset," and implement technology fees at each institution. The Student Advisory Council had organized a successful statewide campaign to raise awareness of the proposed cuts to the HOPE program and show support for the continued coverage of all mandatory fees by the HOPE scholarship.
Students Gain Greater Control Over Fees
The Board of Regents approved a SAC proposal on February 8 that will result in greater student control over the way student fees are created, increased, and budgeted by University System Institutions. The new policy requires each USG institution to establish a committee comprised of at least 50% students, appointed by the institution student government, to examine yearly each student fee and submit recommendations to the institution president and the Board of Regents regarding any fee increase and a proposed budget for each fee. Previously, such committees were required only for student activity fees. This change in policy is a result of the increased focus on rising student fees in the wake of the recent HOPE scholarship controversy. The proposal was first presented by the Student Advisory Council in 1992 and was resubmitted in the summer of 1999. A Board of Regents Work Group co-chaired by North Georgia College & State University President Nathaniel Hansford and SAC Chair John Fuchko prepared formal presented them to the Board of Regents and the Chancellor for approval.
SAC Web Site Now Online
The Student Advisory Council web site is now available at www.peachnet.edu/sac. The site provides news and information on the Student Advisory Council designed for SAC members, students in general, the public, and the news media. The media will find an archive of all SAC press releases and monthly media updates, as well as information on SAC history, current and past SAC initiatives, and current SAC executive officers. Among the most important features of the site are a message board which will facilitate an ongoing discussion of student issues in Georgia, and the ability of SAC members to electronically register for upcoming SAC conferences.
The Student Advisory Council is the official voice of the over 200,000 students of the University System of Georgia