Student Senate Article: Career Center

By William Sullivan & Cassie Christopherson

Getting involved in student organizations is a great way to voice your opinion. Think about it, you are one of 45,000+ students. And while the leaders of our school say that they are very concerned about what the students want, how often can you actually go to one and voice what you think. The majority of the time, it takes more than one person to be heard. And that is not just in college but in the workforce as well. If you get enough people together to voice a concern about something, the leaders cannot just ignore that. Think how great it would be to be a part of a movement across campus. To look back 15 years from now and say, “Hey I was apart of that!” A great example of getting involved was shown this last week on Wednesday when we were allowed to sit in at the Student Senate Meeting.

The Student Senate meeting commenced at exactly 7:37pm on Wednesday night. After a prayer and a pledge to our national and state flags, the session began. The issues to be covered that Wednesday night definitely carried some weight. These issues ranged from Dining services to renewable energy endowments. More importantly, an issue that will affect the whole student body is being considered; a Career Center Fee Proposal.

The bill was introduced by Logan Nichols, a member of the off-campus caucus. The bill proposes an additional $10 be charged to all students attending Texas A&M, regardless of whether you use the Career Center or not. The Career Center provides an incredible opportunity for students at Texas A&M to build resumes, engage in mock interviews, RSVP for corporate events, access to programs that help you determine the availability of jobs for your major and more. The Career Center also a nationally recognized program, or to paraphrase one recruiter “…It is simply the best.” So what is troubling about this proposition?

The fee proposal concerns the overall well being of the Career Center. Since the Fiscal Year of 2003, income gained by the Career Center has risen 2% while overall costs have increased by 13%. At this rate, any reserves will be exhausted in 2 years, by the end of 2009-10. This means a loss of advisers, technology upgrades, marketing and outreach activities and perhaps loss of National Recognition for the Career Center. Currently the Career Center only receives funding from 7,000 students who use the AggieLaunch Basic ($25 per semester) and Premium services ($50 a semester). These 7,000 students only represent 30 % of the 24,000 total student users who use the Career Center services. The $10 charge covers a total value of $2,500 worth of services; the $10 also covers one semester.

Many Senators expressed several concerns about the Bill: Main concerns were about the $10 universal fee. Questions were asked in defense of the students who would not use the Career Center. Nichols responded by mentioning that the 24,000 that do use the Career Center would greatly benefit and that most students, spanning from Freshman to Graduate will most likely use its services once in their time as college students. After this point was made, concerns about price increase for the fixed semester payment were established; would this $10 fee increase over time? The answer to that question could not necessarily be determined at this point, although Nichols was certain about the Bill’s $10 charge covering the 2009-10 and possibly 2011 fiscal years.

Many Senators did seem split over the $10 fee, but many were in support. Those in support chose to use the Rec. Center as an example; a $98 semester fee is charged for every student in support of the Rec. Center, which includes those who do NOT use its facilities.

This meeting was merely to propose the bill to the Senate. Debate topics were not allowed during this first proposal. The Senate will reconvene on Wednesday, October 24th to debate and vote on the bill.