The Associated Students Board of Directors reviewed the 2019 Budget Recommendations and other fee changes on Friday, May 18.
The budget has been updated to reflect the increase in student salaries resulting from the 4.2 percent increase in minimum wage.
The budget committee recommended that Western eliminate its New York Times paper subscription, saying that students didn’t frequently utilize it. It currently represents $8,765 of the annual budget, according to the recommendation.
Subscribing to a different newspaper or an online-only approach are being considered.
The board gave unanimous support to a proposal for an increased Health Services Fee separate from the budget recommendations.
The fee will increase from $106 to $113 per quarter. This will generate an additional $294,000 in revenue for Western’s health-related student services, according to the proposal.
The board postponed voting to allocate funds to continue the Student Enhancement Fund due to technical issues with the proposal, though they voiced their full support for it.
The Student Enhancement Fund sets aside $35,000 annually, which students in need of assistance with expenses can apply for.
VP for Academic Affairs Hunter Eider read a resolution to address incidents of antisemitism on campus.
“We as the AS Board of WWU resolve to hold university officials, ourselves, and the campus community accountable for creating a welcoming space for students, staff and faculty who identify as Jewish,” Eider read from the statement.
Other components of the budget recommendation are available on the AS Board website.
