The EIU student senate voted on resolutions for the approval of student fees for the 2025-2026 school year at its weekly meeting on Wednesday.  

According to Vice President for Business Affairs Matt Bierman, next fall there will be a change in the fee structure of credit hours from the current model which caps certain fees that are per credit hour at 12. 

“If you’re taking three credit hours, you’re paying for three. If you’re taking 18, you’re paying for 18,” Bierman said. “That’s the way it’s going to be starting this fall.” 

There was discussion on the proposed one cent per credit hour cut to the publications fee which helps cover the costs of The Daily Eastern News.  

Student government Vice President of Student Affairs Mason Tegeler said that with the smaller budget, student publications would be greater effected by a cut compared to other fees.  

“I sit along with Parliamentarian [Megan] Fox on the student publication board. They’re pretty strapped for cash,” Tegeler said. “If the senators were to vote down that specific change, if we could, then look at taking a cent from another fee.” 

Bierman responded to Tegeler’s idea saying the penny could be returned to publications, but the penny has to be taken from somewhere. 

It was decided after input from Bierman to amend the approval of the publication fee decrease to have the fee stay where it is at $1 per credit hour.  

The cent given back was taken from the MLK University Union fee which is currently at $25.20 per credit hour to the amended bill having the fee be $24.94 per credit hour. 

EIU Vice President for Student Affairs Anne Flaherty shed light to the student senate as to why the MLK union fee could take the cent decrease. 

“The union had such a substantial fee a couple of years ago. They’re in better position than several other departments, and they can absorb this,” Flaherty said. 

Senator Claire Weber expressed support for the amended resolution.  

“I don’t love taking money from anybody, I don’t think any of us do, but I have to agree with Dr. Flaherty that if you have to take it from anybody, I think that it would have to be from the union,” Weber said. 

All fee resolutions were passed as written except two.  

The health services and counseling fee decrease was voted down due to concerns with the funding of the counseling center. 

“I know a lot of people who are trying to get into the counseling center, and they can’t because they’re short staffed and strapped for money,” Fox said. 

The approval of the campus improvement fee decrease was also voted down for similar reasons. 

This does not change the official outcome of the fees as per the definition of a senate resolution, which is a non-binding statement of the student senate’s opinion, according to its website. 

Two people were appointed to the student senate: sophomore political science civic and non-profit leadership major Karly Hoggard and  sophomore political science major Lawrence Thomas.  

Jason Coulombe can be reached at 581-2812 or at jmcoulombe@eiu.edu.