Several clubs have asked the university for transparency on fees when using university premises for activities outside normal hours. In particular, the Harmonica Club, Earth Environmental Protection Club and Er Chi High School Alumni Association raised this issue last Wednesday, March 23rd at the Club Advisory Meeting. In response, the Office of the General Affairs (OGA) explained that whatever fees the clubs pay to the university was for the overtime work the janitors have to put in rather than into the university’s purse.

However, Harmonica Club argues that there are too many hidden charges for usage on holidays or various occasions outside regular hours, which are not clearly indicated in any document. Such opaque practice, in their view, has created some confusion and increased cost in their budget. Earth Environmental Protection Club supports their argument and requests the university to put out a table that lists fees for various hours during holidays clearly, so that each club can plan in advance and rationally over their budget.

Er Chi Home Coming Service Team of the Er Chi Alumni Association gave an example of how unclear practice had affected their last activity at a Chinese Palace-styled classroom. First of all, they were not aware that the fee for this classroom was higher than other venues so were stunned when told to pay NT$ 4,032 for the night. As the club was short on funding, after some haggling with the university, they managed to pay half of that fee. Even that money had to come from their own pockets.

OGA showed sympathy to these problems but insisted that university had always had a clear instruction as regards to fees, which are only required for operation outside regular hours. Such a document is one click way and is available on the university web site. The Office regretted about the incident of Er Chi Association but 50% reduction was the best the university could do under that circumstance. (Ying-hsueh Hu )

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