Vote to Increase Student Fees by 3.4% carries

Over the objections of two student trustees, who can't officially vote, and the objections of two other voting trustees, the UMass Board of Trustees voted to increase student fees for 2007-08 by 3.4%. The voting trustees against the increase cited the need to stand by students in sending a message to the Legislature about the need for more funding and also the fact that this is a de facto tuition increase, which is not within the purview of the Board, as reasons for their opposition to the increase.

UMass President Jack Wilson said that a vote against the increase was a vote against the 250 plan to increase faculty at UMass Amherst, against capital improvements and against financial aid. What he didn't say was that the UMass plan to add 250 faculty at UMass Amherst was put on hold by Chancellor Lombardi many months ago, when a 39% raise for himself and 50% increases in administrator pay on the campus felt like more important priorities.