The Associated Students of Colorado State University passed Bill #4508 Creation of an Alternative Transportation Fee Advisory Board. Some members of senate and the gallery were adamant that this board does not create an increase to student fees.
The purpose of the Alternative Transportation Fee Advisory Board is to provide institutional leverage for students negotiating alternative transportation contracts, such as the one with TransFort, as well as providing a board to advise on alternative transportation projects that may be proposed to ASCSU.
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“Initially, it will create a new fee area, but it will not create a fee increase,” said President Jason Sydoriak. He is the author of the bill. “The beauty of this is that (any money allocated to ATFAB) is for transportation and it is sustainable, so there are state and federal funds that will match that money.”
ATFAB will provide guidance and advice regarding alternative transportation at CSU, the bill states.
Aaron Fodge, the alternative transportation manager for CSU, spoke to senate last week to present strategies other university student governments have implemented in regard to alternative transportation fees. Fodge said most universities he studied had student fees for alternative transportation and had a board of this nature.
“It’s important to enhance these resources (alternative transportation) so that a student that goes here does not need to have a personal vehicle to be able go to school,” Fodge said.
College Councils will appoint the board by the spring semester, according to the wording of the bill.
“The administration (of CSU) shares our vision, and we should be leaders in this (alternative transportation),” Sydoriak said. “We should be the ones that others follow. This will be a great contribution to CSU and ASCSU.”
Collegian ASCSU Beat Reporter Erin Douglas can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @erinmdouglas23.
