Shen Saved By Student Votes

Photo by Heather Nyce

Shen co-editor Amanda Renalds works in the yearbook's office, which is located next to the Weather Vane office in the IEP building.

The Student Government Association (SGA) has approved increasing the student activity fee next year to fund the continuation of the Shen, EMU's annual yearbook. The student fee will increase by $21 to $79 per semester to cover costs of the Shen and other student organizations.

Funding for the Shen in previous years has come from the Undergraduate budget managed by Academic Dean Marie Morris. In the Prioritization Steering Committee's (PSC) effort to "Increase efficiency and decrease costs in administrative programs," the PSC recommended discontinuing the Shen unless students elected to increase student fees to cover all costs associated with publication.

Most student organizations, including similar organizations like the Weather Vane, receive funding from the student activity fee assessed every semester. The money from this fee is controlled by SGA and is allocated to clubs during SGA's annual budgeting process. The fee typically remains the same, unless SGA proposes a change. A proposal to increase the fee must be reviewed and approved by the Presidents Cabinet before the fee may be raised.

The Alumni Relations office and individual students voiced concern to SGA after the PSC announced their intention to discontinue the Shen's funding. Amanda Reynolds, current co-editor of the Shen, said, "I was very surprised they cut the yearbook. Every university has one."

Given this concern from members of the campus community that EMU would lose an important asset to the campus, the SGA conducted an online survey in late March to assess student interest in the Shen. One hundred and eighty students responded to the survey with roughly 75% of respondents indicating a desire for the yearbook to continue in some form even if this meant an increase in the student activity fee. In accordance with the students, SGA approved a $21 per semester increase in the student fee.

The Shen will receive most of the money from this increase with $17 out of $21 replacing the funds lost from the Undergraduate budget. The remaining $4 will cover possible future increases in the cost of publishing the Shen. SGA will also use the money to fund recently created student organizations such as the Student Lecture Series and the Gospel Choir.