AUTHOR

Senator Albert DeGarmo

SPONSORS

Senator Tiffany Roemer

Senator Luke Cagle

Senate Pro Tempore Sarah Wood

Senator Edward Lamar

Senator Steven Arnold

Senator Gabe Garcia

Date of First Reading: April 18, 2011

S.R.S. 2010-2011/18

“Ring Savings Program”

WHEREAS: The Texas State University – San Marcos has an established identity in the prestigious symbol of the University ring; and

WHEREAS: Currently a student at the university must have a minimum of 75 hours in order to be eligible for ordering a ring; and

WHEREAS: The standing payment process is to pay in full; and

WHEREAS: This process can be intimidating for financially limited students and can even deter them from participating in this tradition; and

WHEREAS: The circulation of funds generated by the purchases of the rings do not directly benefit the students; and

WHEREAS: Traditions that students participate in should benefit them in ways more than just identifying with a symbol; and

WHEREAS: The Balfour ring company has a proposed program that when a student enrolls, they could opt to have a $75.00 to $150.00 fee per semester for the next five semesters; enabling a student to save $375.00 to $750.00 by the time they are eligible to reserve their Texas State ring. The company would then notify the student as soon as they are eligible to purchase their personal university ring; and

WHEREAS: Texas State University is about to launch a new student information system that would enable the university to adopt this program; Therefore

BE IT ENACTED: That once this new system is able to add new functionality to the program, that Texas State University – San Marcos adopt the Balfour ring savings program; and

BE IT FURTHER ENACTED: That on the “Pay Tuition” webpage, a “Ring Savings” component be added where a student could choose to add a $75.00 to $150.00 (increasing at a rate of $25.00 increments) sum added to the students tuition but separated into an account established by the Financial Offices of Texas State to generate interest a fixed rate; and

BE IT FURTHER ENACTED: That the interest generated off of this account be allocated to the Texas State Alumni Association under the supervision of the Chair to be utilized for student scholarships and student program funding; and

BE IT FURTHER ENACTED: If any student should find themselves in the tragic process of transferring to another university, the money set aside would be refunded to the student and the university would keep what interest was generated during their enrollment; and

BE IT FURTHER ENACTED: Should a university of that transferring student’s choosing have a rings savings program, the money will be transferred into that account. The interest generated within the Texas State University – San Marcos will stay with the university, and

BE IT FURHTER ENACTED: The ring savings program be explained as an optional process within the New Student Orientation and Paws Preview curriculum.

BE IT FURTHER ENACTED: That upon passing, a copy of this bill be forwarded to ASG Advisor Kathy Weiser, Director of Student Business Services Cindy Kruckmeyer, Coordinator of Marketing and Promotions Jennifer Scharlach, Alumni Association Chair Kim Gannon, Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Joanne Smith, and Texas State University President Dr. Denise Trauth.