Every semester, students pay a fee to fund the student government and media. At the moment, ASUAF collects $35 per semester from all students taking more than three credits. Most of that goes to ASUAF. The rest goes to KSUA, the Sun Star and the Concert Board.

Now ASUAF is considering raising the student fee by either 29 percent or 57 percent, from $35 to $45 or $55.

Student government officials say this fee increase would help fund their administration. The proposal's sponsor, Sen. Henry Cole, also says it would allow ASUAF, the Sun Star, and KSUA to increase staff pay and upgrade their technologies.

A fee increase will be necessary at some point. Whether or not that's this year, though, is questionable, especially at the proposed rates. The fee hasn't increased in four years. But this new increase would be gigantic. For a student government that regularly complains about 10 percent tuition increases or 15 percent housing rent hikes, a 28-57 percent fee increase would appear hypocritical.

If a fee increase were approved, the Sun Star stands to earn a lot more money. But currently, we don't need the extra funds. According to our financial reports, the Sun Star hasn't even tapped into its spring student government fees. The newspaper has about $10,000 in profit from ads, and we expect more over the coming months.

Of course, the student government, radio station and Concert Board have different needs than the Sun Star. KSUA says it will need to upgrade to high-definition radio. The Concert Board says more money could pay for bigger acts. ASUAF says it needs to pay increasing staff benefits.

Still, before any fee increase is put on the ballot, each of these organizations should examine whether they can get the extra money some other way, especially if they are just one-time expenditures. KSUA, for example, used to have program underwriting, and "it wouldn't be all that hard" to get again, says KSUA General Manager Nick Brewer. The Technology Advisory Board could possibly help fund an HD upgrade.

At the student government, ASUAF should examine whether any programs or positions can be cut without major repercussions, or whether it could spend some of the $230,000 it has locked away in a trust fund.

If the fee must be increased, the change should be small. It should match inflation rates, if anything. If the Board of Regents never voted on a tuition increase, our rates would still climb because of a built-in inflation mechanism. And if it makes sense for tuition, it should make sense for fees.

A 3-5 percent annual increase is reasonable to keep up with cost increases. But a 28-57 percent increase seems like too much, and just means ASUAF will have to ask for another fee hike another year.

This isn't like in 2003, when a fee increase helped create the Concert Board. This time it's to fund the status quo. ASUAF should tread carefully before asking students to pay more.