Graduate Student Professional Senator Questions Daly Iowa Student Rates – Daly Iowa

The Iowa State Daily is about to set a $9 student fee per semester to increase funding. The need for this fee was discussed at the Graduate and Professional Students Senate meeting on Monday.

This fee is billed along with other student fees such as medical and technical fees. This fee will be put to a vote on February 13th.

Catherine Keely, a journalism major and editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper, has been extended an impromptu invitation to the meeting to answer questions from senators.

GPSS reported feeling underrepresented in the daily, which was previously discussed at a meeting between the two organizations that included GPSS president Christine Cain, a PhD candidate in higher education. Because of this, there was some debate as to whether the fees were fair for all students.

“I had a meeting with Daily. We discussed how the stories of graduate students were underrepresented,” Kane said. has multiple versions, one of which is for faculty and staff who might provide better content for graduate students…but the reason they wanted a fee-based structure was because of hiring But there was.”

Kane also explained that in a meeting with Daly, she learned that in order for Daly to find reporters, she had to find students who could work without pay. reported that a paid position may be required to participate and share the perspectives of graduate students.

Kealey shared the intended benefits behind the fees, including increased job opportunities for graduate students and greater safety for Iowa State’s student media.

Kealey explained how Daily’s current funding model is allocated from funds provided by the Student Union, and the proposed fee structure would change revenue streams.

“We’ve always had some support,” Keely said. “While we describe it as a daily student subscription, we are a non-profit business that serves as a student learning experience.”

The Language Assessment Student Organization also sought an appeal due to discrepancies in spending during the pandemic. The Senate moved to receive the appeal.

The Senate also received reports on a proposed student health insurance premium increase, a possible update to the undergraduate transfer credit policy, and a pre-board meeting in Iowa between three public universities.

The senators also discussed a health and wellness symposium to be held on Friday. The symposium will focus on student and employee well-being and engagement.

The Graduate and Professional Senators will meet again on February 27 at 6:30 pm in the Memorial Union Sun Room.