ISG considers resolution to lower mass transit fees

Illinois+Student+Government+senator+Tara+Chattoraj%2C+senior+in+LAS%2C+attended+her+final+meeting+as+a+member+of++ISG+on+Wednesday+Nov.+29.

Hannah Auten

Illinois Student Government senator Tara Chattoraj, senior in LAS, attended her final meeting as a member of ISG on Wednesday Nov. 29.

By Cori Lippert, Staff Writer

At the Nov. 29 Illinois Student Government meeting, ISG considered a resolution that would lower the amount of money University students pay to use the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District bus system.

The senators showed concern that the surrounding community pays less than University students do.

“A $60 fee is unfair to students because if the community has access to all our routes, including SafeRides, and they only have to pay what would be $42 for half a year, then we should pay the same thing,” said ISG Senator Jonathan Heideman, senior in LAS.

In response to that, some senators felt that members of the community do not get the same services as University students.

Richard Gonigam, junior in LAS and the technology coordinator of ISG, disagreed.

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“We get a much more robust level of service on campus than the rest of the surrounding community,” Gonigam said.

ISG Senator Tara Chattoraj, senior in LAS, added to the resolution the extension of SafeRides, which provides rides for students who are traveling alone and need a safe way home, to be active over breaks for students who are still on campus.

Lowa Mwilambwe, associate vice chancellor for student affairs and director of auxiliary services for Student Affairs, said he will make sure students pay their fair share and that students’ fees are not continuously increased.

In addition to transit fees, a resolution was adopted that would allow students to turn in Chief Illiniwek gear for the chance to win a $10 gift card to the Illini Union. The turned in gear will be recycled or repurposed.

The meeting was also the last for Chattoraj, who announced her resignation two weeks ago. Shaina Hakimian, junior in Business, is also leaving. She will be studying abroad, and she announced her resignation from the Illinois Student Senate at the meeting.

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