2008 Woodie Awards
Yearbook proposes student fee increase
Jessica Kauhi, Staff Writer
Issue date: 12/5/06
Last Updated: 12/29/07
A request for a constituency report from ASWC assembly members to add $20 to the student fee for every student was made by Natsihi. Raising the student fee will provide a yearbook for everyone who wants one.
Director of annual giving, alumni, parent and church relations and Natsihi Adviser Tad Wisenor said that the apathy students seem to have regarding the yearbook is increasing.
Twenty years ago over 75 percent of students purchased the Natsihi. Now, fewer than 35 percent of students purchase the Natsihi.
"The Natsihi is a high quality, award-winning, full-color book worthy of consideration," Wisenor said.
ASWC agreed last week to send a constituency report to students asking if they would support raising student fees to $20. Once the constituency report is complete, the proposal will move on to the President's Cabinet.
The ultimate decision to raise student fees lies with the Board of Trustees, who meet in the spring.
Junior and yearbook editor-in-chief Amanda Smith said in the ASWC meeting last week that this same proposal went to the President's Cabinet a few years ago. The Cabinet rejected the proposal because they wanted to make sure students approved the raise in student fees.
Wisenor also said that a large number of books ordered means that the overall printing cost is lower, hence $20 per person instead of $40 or more.
If the proposal is not approved, the cost will need to go up five to ten dollars next year in order for Natsihi to produce the same quality book they produced last year.
Smith believes the proposal is beneficial to all students.
"I think it's beneficial if they are thinking about buying a yearbook, I think they will look at the price tag of $50 and think that is way too much. Cutting it down to $20 makes it more attractive," Smith said.
While the yearbook is not in immediate danger of disappearing, Smith said the Natsihi is already cutting quality to stay on budget.
"Right now we are producing such a nice yearbook we are in danger of losing color," Smith said. "We will cut the quality before we cut the yearbook out."
Students will have the option to pick up a yearbook under the new proposal.
"What we're planning to do is a sign-up sheet until we get an idea of who wants to take advantage of the price of the yearbook included in student fees," Smith said.
Smith said the yearbook is an important resource for Whitworth's archives.
"It is the only piece that will be published every year. It is the best thing that people look to during research projects," Smith said. "It's a huge resource for Whitworth history."
Wisenor encourages students to look at the publication with a fresh perspective.
"We want to make sure members of the class 2010 have a yearbook to flip through when they return for their 25th reunion in 2035," Wisenor said.
- Jessica Davis contributed to this report
Director of annual giving, alumni, parent and church relations and Natsihi Adviser Tad Wisenor said that the apathy students seem to have regarding the yearbook is increasing.
Twenty years ago over 75 percent of students purchased the Natsihi. Now, fewer than 35 percent of students purchase the Natsihi.
"The Natsihi is a high quality, award-winning, full-color book worthy of consideration," Wisenor said.
ASWC agreed last week to send a constituency report to students asking if they would support raising student fees to $20. Once the constituency report is complete, the proposal will move on to the President's Cabinet.
The ultimate decision to raise student fees lies with the Board of Trustees, who meet in the spring.
Junior and yearbook editor-in-chief Amanda Smith said in the ASWC meeting last week that this same proposal went to the President's Cabinet a few years ago. The Cabinet rejected the proposal because they wanted to make sure students approved the raise in student fees.
Wisenor also said that a large number of books ordered means that the overall printing cost is lower, hence $20 per person instead of $40 or more.
If the proposal is not approved, the cost will need to go up five to ten dollars next year in order for Natsihi to produce the same quality book they produced last year.
Smith believes the proposal is beneficial to all students.
"I think it's beneficial if they are thinking about buying a yearbook, I think they will look at the price tag of $50 and think that is way too much. Cutting it down to $20 makes it more attractive," Smith said.
While the yearbook is not in immediate danger of disappearing, Smith said the Natsihi is already cutting quality to stay on budget.
"Right now we are producing such a nice yearbook we are in danger of losing color," Smith said. "We will cut the quality before we cut the yearbook out."
Students will have the option to pick up a yearbook under the new proposal.
"What we're planning to do is a sign-up sheet until we get an idea of who wants to take advantage of the price of the yearbook included in student fees," Smith said.
Smith said the yearbook is an important resource for Whitworth's archives.
"It is the only piece that will be published every year. It is the best thing that people look to during research projects," Smith said. "It's a huge resource for Whitworth history."
Wisenor encourages students to look at the publication with a fresh perspective.
"We want to make sure members of the class 2010 have a yearbook to flip through when they return for their 25th reunion in 2035," Wisenor said.
- Jessica Davis contributed to this report
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