CSU East Bay is tentatively scheduled to begin collecting the A2E2 fee next quarter, according to Associate Vice President Susan Opp.
The fee, which was introduced in spring of 2011, will be 40 dollars per quarter instead of the originally proposed amount of 120 dollars.
In addition, the modified fee will not include any requirements for tablets or electronic textbooks.
According to Opp, the fee is meant to eliminate the instructional related activities fee and any course fees fewer than 50 dollars.
“I think what’s important about this fee is that it’s predictable and it’s not based on what classes students are taking,” said Opp.
In a letter written by Opp directed to The Pioneer on July 28, the A2E2 fee “will be used to provide such things as equipment, supplies, and experiences needed for our students to have a learning opportunity that prepares them to be successful in their future endeavors,” further emphasizing its importance amidst general controversy from the student body at its initial release.
In addition, Michael Mahoney, Chair of the Academic Senate, emphasized that the fee would go to support student learning in activities such as conferences and scholarly publications.
“The best thing about A2E2 is that it’s going into academics,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that we need this to fund equipment, but it’s because the state is essentially broke.”
Mahoney also said the fee is not “high” in comparison to other state universities across California.
According to Opp, the modified A2E2 proposal was approved by the CSUEB administration as a result of student feedback and the recommendations of the campus fee advisory committee and consequently submitted to the Chancellor of the CSU in spring of 2011.
Some critics of the process, such as Frank Quintana, ASI Director of Legislative Affairs, were concerned not enough students had been made aware of the fee and its whereabouts.
“I think the process was done undemocratically and was not done with the full representation of the student body,” said Quintana. “I think the university should’ve emphasized the importance of getting a student referendum.”
According to Opp, the reasons for the changes were the university didn’t want to rush students into getting tablets because “the administration felt that it wasn’t wise to move too quickly.”
As for the prospect of having electronic textbooks and tablets, Opp said the plan is “basically to continue to study these two things.”
Once the money for the A2E2 fee is collected, according to the administration, ASI will forward the names of ten students, from which five will be selected by the Provost to sit a recomendations and factfinding committee alongside five members of the faculty.
The contentious issue, many say, will have an immense effect on students, as many have argued its need and overall efficiency for incoming CSUEB students in general.
Next quarter, the implementation of this fee will dictate possible A2E2 success and possible further use as a standard fee for students for years to come.