KEVIN MENZ
Associate News Editor

The University of Saskatchewan Graduate Students’ Association wants to raise graduate student fees by approximately $68 per year. The change would increase the current $56 fees to $124.

Currently the GSA president receives $4,500 per year while members of the executive receive an honorarium of $333 a month. The GSA proposes to increase these wages to $20,000 and $750 respectively. This would result in a yearly fee increase of $17 per student.

They would also like to establish a full-time office manager position which would cost students approximately $2 to $4 more a year.

“Council deserves concrete reporting of what the executive has been up to,” said GSA president Omeasoo Butt. With the proposed “raise of the honorarium, there is huge incentive to enforce accountability.”

The GSA also feels that students who liaise between their departments and the executive need more funding. With a proposed increase of $33 per year, $100,000 would be devoted to councils. $1,000 would be given to each council with $40,000 left for specific events within the departments.

“This allows course councils to be more visionary in what they can do with their money,” said Butt.

In co-ordinance with the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union, the GSA has also prioritized childcare and wants to see $20,000 devoted to it annually. This works out to a $7 increase per student but would allow graduate students to reserve childcare spaces.

They would also like to establish an ombuds office, which requires $10,000 annually and a $3 increase in yearly student fees. This office would directly address student issues.

Increased funding for bursaries is also proposed. A $3 increase in student fees would move funding for graduate student bursaries from $9,000 a year to $18,000 a year.

Finally, the GSA wants to invest $5,000 annually in housing, which would mean a $1.60 increase per student.

Butt also added that, currently, summer students are not charged student fees. The GSA wants to charge graduate students who are registered in the summer.

“It gives us a chance to spread out the increase over three terms instead of just two,” said Butt, noting that the GSA “would like members’ input on this.”

They are providing current graduate students with the opportunity to discuss the proposals at an open forum on March 10 at 5 p.m. It will be held in the newly opened Graduate Commons area — the Emmanuel and St. Chad building on the corner of Wiggins and College Drive.

“Any graduate student is welcome. Any graduate student can say what they like. And every graduate student gets one vote,” said Butt. “There will be pizza.”