Sara Tiradossi / Winonan

A possible tuition freeze by the Board of Trustees from Minnesota State Colleges and Universities could be mandated before the end of the semester, according to Winona State University Student Senate’s Public Relations Chair, Ivy Kuhn.

Kuhn explained how tuition will not be raised at the moment, because the university has to wait until legislators decide whether to freeze the tuition or not.

The freeze possibility comes amid a $4 million budget deficit for the university. Part of the university’s current deficit is due to decreasing student enrollment since the students enrolled in 2011 and 2012 graduated, Kuhn said.

As far as the budget’s impact on students, Kuhn said the deficit will not impact student work positions within departments on campus.

At a meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 15, Kuhn said the university’s Vice President of Finance and Administration, Scott Ellinghuysen, mentioned student positions are valued, and a lot of the departments rely on them.

Student Senate is also involved with the Student Management Fee Committee, which is in charge of dictating students’ annual fees. Every year, some of the departments ask for an increase, Kuhn said, and the senate decides whether to approve it based on needs and previous increases.

Besides the deficit, campus security has been a topic of relevance for student senate. Student Senator Jackson Ramsland said senate has worked with the university’s Facilities Services to increase lightning on major walkways and paths on campus.

Senate has also worked to change security systems for education halls by increasing the number of halls which are locked by 8 p.m. Students can key card in the buildings after 8 p.m. with their student identification, Ramsland said.

Student Senate will meet next on Wednesday, March 1 in Maxwell Hall, room 158.

By Sara Tiradossi