With most Milligan students busy trying to come up with the $12,470 per semester it costs to attend the college, few may have actually noticed this year’s $45 increase in the student activity fee. However, according to Campus Activities Director Jess Carter, the increase will provide a much-needed improvement in the quality of campus life at Milligan.

“I looked at other colleges like Milligan, saw how much their campus activities cost, and how much we were behind them,” she said.

In the last 16 years, from 1990-2006, the student activity fee had only grown by $14 —from $41 to $55. Now the fee is $100.

Carter explained in her proposal why she thought the price increase was necessary.

“It is essential to spend time, money and effort upgrading the resources available to students on the campus of Milligan College,” Carter said. “In order to expand priorities we must expand resources.”

Since the student activity fee provides the only money allotted for campus life and student activities, the increased funds were a welcomed relief from the budget constraints of last year.

“We are looking forward to using this money to benefit the students,” SGA Treasurer Abby Dalton said. “We are actually having an open forum on Monday to see how we can better serve the students, which will help us decide how to use our money this year.”

Almost every organization and group on campus has benefited from the newly-imposed fee. Residence Life was among the top beneficiaries, receiving a 66% increase in its budget, as was SUB7 which received a 43% increase.

The placement of funds was determined through a survey of Milligan students in a convocation, as was the amount to be raised. The activity fee this year has also allowed for the implementation of new events, such as the freshmen day at Doe River Gorge. It now encompasses the school’s subscription to the JC Press, the dorm fee required at the beginning of the semester and new security improvements as well.