Forgotten Student Fees Gives CSU Thousands To Help Update Campus
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) — Years of student fees are resurfacing at Colorado State University after an excess fund was found. Student government learned more than $800,000 of student fees from now-alumni had stockpiled in an account that went untapped.
"The federal government is in debt by $22 trillion, and I am in a surplus. In comparison, I'm doing pretty well," said Tristan Syron, CSU Student Body President.
Syron said the money came from previous allocations, and rollover cash from conservative spending in previous years. While Syron said some previous administrations fed the account as a "rainy day" fund, he felt money should go toward improving the campus while the paying student is attending school.
"You pay all this tuition, all this money in student fees, you should see the benefit of it in the year in which you were at school," Syron told CBS4's Dillon Thomas.
After fees, restrictions and paying outstanding debts, the fund will have around $300,000 available for spending. Last time money to that excess was available, Syron said the student body paid for The Rolling Stones to play at the old football stadium Hughes.
While throwing a big party would be a popular decision at a university, Syron said the money would go toward improving the campus.
"You don't want to just blow money. You want to make sure it has the biggest impact possible," Syron said.
Syron said there were many options, including adding solar panels to the roof of the student center.
However, one of his biggest considerations was addressing a dangerous pedestrian intersection where bikes, skateboards, those on foot and vehicles all meet. The intersection, located between a parking lot, library and student center, has been the scene of some injuries.
"This area is like death central, where everyone is getting hit," Syron said. "We've has several students get hit by a bike."
While the money came from alumni, Syron said those graduates should see it as their gift to the future.
"Don't consider it that you lost the money, consider it that you invested it in to the future of the school," Syron said.
When dozens of students were asked how they would spend the money on campus, a majority said to add parking. However, the university recently demolished one of their largest lots when they built a football stadium over it.
This story was first reported by the Rocky Mountain Collegian.
