Stan St. services look into merger
Modesto Bee 3/19/07
To increase focus and services offered to students at California State University, Stanislaus, the University Student Union and Associated Students Inc. leaders are considering merging.
A merger would not lower student fees paid to the two groups, but would allow the union and student government to offer more bang for students' bucks. Each semester, students pay $47.50 to ASI and $57 to the USU.
"We're trying to provide better services for our students," said Dan Dwelle, chairman of the USU board and a business administration junior. "We want to give them back more of the money they pay us."
A merger might also help clear up student confusion about the two entities. With a budget of about $800,000, ASI acts as the voice for students. The USU is responsible for overseeing the union's facilities for students and works with a $978,000 annual operating budget.
ASI holds meetings with a president, vice presidents and senators representing students, and oversees campus social activities such as forums and concerts. The USU has a board that offers the same type of activities, outdoor and indoor adventure programs, and multicultural events.
"The union brought in a consultant about a year ago to look at streamlining their functions," said Fred Edmondson, associate vice provost and dean of students. "There was a duplication of services with ASI."
By merging, the two groups could save money by sharing staff and costs. Under a merger, ASI's allocations for staff could drop 13 percent, and the USU could save 17 percent of its current budget on administration, according to scenarios developed by the consultant.
The USU approved a merger last week and ASI is set to take action at the Tuesday meeting.
University leaders hope to grow from 8,000 students this year to 10,000 by 2010. A larger student population will require more services. Student leaders hope to offer a multicultural center, women's center, more conference rooms, larger lounge and maybe a bowling alley. All are in the distant future, said Chelsea Minor, ASI president and political science junior.
Another detail on the horizon is the construction of the student recreation complex. Last March, students approved a fee increase to fund the complex, which will feature a fitness center and a stadium. The $16.2 million project should open in 2008.
With a merger, the university wouldn't have to be as involved in running the complex, Minor noted.
Dwelle cautioned that some USU board members think handling the rec complex would be a big undertaking in the beginning.
"With the student recreation complex, the students have an interest in running it and (a merger) sets up the infrastructure for that," Edmondson said.
ASI and the USU are discussing three types of reorganization — a functional merger (sharing resources while maintaining some autonomy); a fusion merger (one group plays a lesser role); and a combination of the two.
ASI and the USU are paying a consultant $35,000 for the merger analysis.
Student leaders visited CSU campuses in Fullerton and Chico to learn from their organizations. Most CSU associated student bodies and unions are combined.
ASI and USU governing boards have to approve the merger. Depending on which type of merger is supported, the CSU Chancellor's Office would have to bless it as well, Edmondson said.