The Rocky Mountain Collegian

ASCSU passed a resolution 19 to 1 last night in support of the University of Northern Colorado Student Representative Council student fee stance. The UNC student-stance opposes a recent UNC Board of Trustees ruling that enacted a policy to eliminate mandatory student fees to fund student organizations that are considered ideological, political, or religious in nature.

According to the resolution, the UNC Board of Trustees overturned the local elections of UNC students to enact the policy.

The board, according to Sen. Heath Hixson of the College of Liberal Arts, is made up of appointed officials who don't live in Greeley, such as Peter Coors, owner of Coors Brewing Com-pany in Golden.

According to many, the trust-ees' ruling could be the first step to stripping students of their fee-use rights.

"We will not stand for this," Hixson said. "It's a blow to the rights of students as a whole. It's our duty as students in government in Colorado to stand by our peers."

ASCSU Director of Finance Dan Kunz added, "If students aren't the ones to control student fees, why do they call them student fees?"

Shane Okamoto, vice president of the legal affairs committee at UNC, came to help garner support from ASCSU senators. "It's in the best interest of students across the nation," said Okamoto. "I urge you to please stand with us." Following the vote overwhelmingly in favor of the resolution, Okamoto was very pleased and said UNC would begin moving forward with plans to draw up a counterproposal, which would allow the funding of all religious, political and ideological organizations except for those unable to receive funds ac-cording to state law.

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