Students to vote on fee increase, Board of Trustees representation

Students will be asked on the March election ballot if they want to pay an extra dollar per credit hour to the Student Association.

The SA Senate passed a bill Tuesday night that will put a referendum on the ballot asking students to support an SA fee increase from one dollar to two dollars per credit hour, up to 15 hours, to fund student organizations and SA expenditures.

A similar referendum failed last year by a 53 to 47 percent margin. Next month, the SA will be asking students to pay an increased fee for the third year in a row.

The March ballot will also contain a question asking students if they would support an SA President-appointed voting representative on the GW Board of Trustees, the University’s highest decision-making body. The 35-member board is comprised of alumni and community and business leaders.

Even if students pass a referendum, Board of Trustees Chairman Charles Manatt and University President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg said they would not support putting students on the board.

Morgan Corr (CCAS-U) said he is “ecstatic” about the referendum and that he is confident students will support board representation. Corr founded the group Students on Board, an organization dedicated to giving students a voice on the board.

-Brandon Butler