Graduate Professional Council to hold forum about library fee proposal

Columbia Missourian

COLUMBIA — The MU Graduate Professional Council is holding a forum Tuesday from 5 to 6 p.m. to discuss a proposed referendum that would establish a library fee to pay for upgrades and renovations to libraries on MU's campus.

The referendum, which would be a ballot issue in November, would establish a $5 per credit hour fee that would then be increased to $15 per credit hour over five years. MU Libraries is the university's only academic division without a fee, according to previous Missourian reporting.

The forum's purpose is to allow those interested in the proposed fee to gather more information, ask questions and express concerns.

The referendum was proposed by MU Libraries in order to bypass Missouri Senate Bill 389, which places limits on increases to tuition and fees. Students can, however, choose to self-impose fees, according to the news release.

Among the projects the fee would fund include renovations to Ellis Library, expanded library hours and increased access to scholarly works across multiple disciplines, according to the news release.