The University will use the $100 special spring semester fee to pay for services such as faculty salaries, electricity bills and outreach, University President Michael Adams said Thursday.

The money, which all students must pay by Jan. 22, will be placed in a general fund.

A group of students complained to the Board of Regents their input wasn’t considered before the BOR decided Wednesday to approve the fee. When deliberating, the regents waived a policy that requires 50 percent student input on fee increases.

No student input will be considered on the allocation.

“This is a special circumstances fee. I don’t think this will be the last time [they] will see a fee and that it will be this low,” Adams said at the University Cabinet meeting. “I believe UGA’s tuition is too low to remain of quality. I understand that there are possibilities that the budget cut will increase more than 8 percent.”

Adams said the University will do a better job warning students about fees. More severe budget cuts could force students to pay in the future, he said.

The regents also passed a policy Wednesday to add a 5 percent reduction in University employees’ health plans.

“I understand the regents’ decisions, and I do believe that the more we involve students, the better we all are,” Adams said. “[The University] took prudent action to prepare for the 8 percent budget cut.”

With this plan, the University must deal with a $39.7 million budget reduction, up $10 million from the 6 percent budget cut plan in place earlier this semester.

Despite the cuts, University employees will receive salary raises. The minimum salary for lowest paid employees will increase to $21,000 on Jan. 1.

The University will offer merit-based raises, which average 3 percent.

The money comes from state and University funds.

To compete with other universities, about $1.8 million was allocated for raises for faculty members.

“Other state employees are dealing with conditions without salary increases,” Adams said. “This is the third time this year that we had to allocate a salary pool. At this stage in the budget reduction, all employees have a role to play.”

Adams said another pay raise in 2010 is doubtful.

Although the University is not firing individuals in full-time positions, vacancies have not been filled and part-time contracts have yet to be renewed, Adams said.

This semester the University deferred filling 167 faculty, 183 staff, 47 graduate assistant and 52 student worker positions for employment.

Adams did not say what a potential 10 percent budget cut could mean for the University, but he maintained his confidence with the school’s action on the 8 percent plan.