New Orleans (Nov. 15, 2012)-The Student Government Association is considering whether to spend $1,800 to support student printing costs in the Alexander Library, according to SGA President Jakarah Porter.

DU students last year were given 100 free pages to print in the library before being charged 10 cents per page. However, the free pages are not being offered this year.

Librarian Beverly Harris said the free pages last year was a result of slow notice of the fee implementation. When students complained they hadn’t been informed, the first 100 pages were underwritten, she said.

Representatives of the SGA and library have been in discussion on whether the SGA could take money from the student activities budget to pay for student printing. While a decision was expected Oct. 17, none has been announced.

The SGA president said a survey through Twitter is planned to gauge student support for the proposal.

“The student body will be the ultimate decision-maker in this ongoing debate,” Porter said.

Interim Library Dean Cynthia Charles said students still confuse the technology fee they pay as having something to do with library funding when that’s not the case.

“The technology fee is not for the library. It is for the computer labs,”  Charles said. “The library used to be funded by the university but now is funded by grants.” Even the library per-page printing fee doesn’t go to the library but to the general university fund, Charles said.