Not too many people would be willing to pay for mistakes made by others. After all, individuals are responsible for their own actions and therefore should be held responsible when they err. But apparently, the President’s Fee Study Committee doesn’t think so.

The committee wants to raise student fees between 40 and 60 cents per credit hour next year to pay for mistakes made in judging the amount of money needed to operate the Student Recreation Center.

The committee claims expenses predicted for the rec center were underestimated while income expected to be brought in was overestimated. And now, somebody must pay for the mistakes, so the committee wants to dump the burden on the students.

While it is true students are the primary users of the rec center, they aren’t the ones who wrongly predicted the center’s financial needs. So even though it is reasonable to expect students to foot some of the bill, their wallets shouldn’t bear a majority of the burden.

It’s also no secret how most students feel about the rec center. Its carpeted basketball courts and the 90-degree turns on its running track have been a source of complaints and ridicule since it opened in January 1985. However, because most students have no where else to run or play basketball, especially during the winter, they are forced to use the rec center. Thus, the crowds at the center might imply that students view the facility favorably. And perhaps the fee study group takes this as an indication students would be in favor of paying more to use the building.

Most students, however, believe they are already paying enough for school and are unwilling to support any fee increase. And almost all students would not approve a fee hike that resulted from an oversight made by the university.

Obviously, the rec center is in need of funding. The place needs help so badly that money was taken from the residence hall reserve to pay for expenses.

And while taking money from residence halls to keep the center afloat is not the answer, neither is boosting student fees.

Besides, there is no proof the rec center would be set straight financially just because of increased student fees. It is not unreasonable to think fees might be raised again in the future if the center is still falling short financially.

Students didn’t put the rec center in the red. So they shouldn’t be required to pull it out.