News briefs: Waterfront costs, Rally in Tally, Arabic language and “Bull Raisers”
Written by Crow's Nest Staff, Feb 8, 2012, 0 Comments
Prices of Waterfront services to faculty, staff and the public will increase as a result of rising costs, said Aquatic Programs Coordinator Teresa Przetocki. The new prices will reflect the market prices for similar services, increased costs by program suppliers and necessary facilities improvement.
The Red Cross, for example, has raised its price for CPR and AED courses. Offering them for less than is charged to the university doesn’t make sense, said Przetocki. “We’re not going to operate them at a loss,” she said. Student prices for the adult CPR course will remain steady at $45.
Income gained through the higher fees to non-student users will not reduce overall cost to students, said Student Life Director Matt Morrin, but rather allow Waterfront to offer more programs.
In addition to the increased usage fees, Waterfront will need to make repairs to the pool and plans to add more lighting along the harbor.
The office of the Waterfront will release a new price list when the chancellor approves the proposal.
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Student Government Vice President Mark Lombardi-Nelson passed along a thanks from the administration to the general assembly on Feb. 1 for not supporting the “Rally in Tally” the week prior. The demonstration brought together students from all 11 state universities to protest increases in tuition and reductions in financial aid.
Since the university is in an expansionary period, SG executive branch members didn’t believe it was in the best interests of future students to make a stand for lower tuitions.
It is expected that the state’s baseline tuition will again rise by 7 percent in the fall, a multi-year plan to bring Florida rates in line with the nation’s average.
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The university will retain the services of Arabic language instructor and Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Raja Benchekroun next semester and far into the future, said Dean Frank Biafora of the College of Arts and Sciences. Arabic is among languages considered “strategically important” by the U.S. government, Biafora said. Mandarin Chinese, another strategically important language, will also be offered in the fall.
With incentives from Fulbright, the university will also be offering its first degree program in world languages and cultures starting in the fall.
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The USF Foundation launched a new program called “Bull Raisers” which will solicit current Bulls to show their Bull spirit through Bull donations that will be used to fund Bull programs. Money can be donated directly or during fundraisers attached to student events. The goal of the organization is to get students in the habit of making philanthropic donations to the foundation, said Bull Raisers President and USF Foundation intern Kelly Torres.
