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Student Activities Fee to be uncapped next year
by Harry Shipps
Staff writer
News | 3/31/09
Posted online at 7:30 AM EST on 3/31/09
The Student Activities Fee, a small percentage of each student's tuition used to fund University clubs and organizations, will be uncapped for the 2009 to 2010 academic year after the Board of Trustees approved a budget containing that stipulation last Wednesday, according to Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Jean Eddy.
The decision to uncap the fee means that 1 percent of each student's tuition will be placed in the SAF and used to finance the operations of University- recognized clubs and organizations. Eddy said that the decision to uncap the Activities Fee means that it will grow with the 3.9-percent tuition increase that was also passed at the Board meeting. "If the tuition is increased by 3.9 percent, which is what the Board just voted on, then the SAF would increase accordingly," said Eddy. A tuition increase of 3.9 percent would set tuition for next year at just over $37,680, creating an activity fee of almost $377 per student.
The decision comes approximately a week after the Student Union submitted a proposal calling for the fee to be uncapped. Student Union President Jason Gray '10 explained last week that the Union took this initiative because on-campus clubs and organizations have become strapped for funds as more clubs are being chartered by the Senate and because the quality of events planned by clubs are improving.
Last year, an agreement was reached between the Student Union and the administration to cap the activity fee for the current academic year at its level during the 2007 to 2008 academic year due to an excess of money resulting from the SAF caused by money continually rolling over from year to year.
The agreement was reached with the understanding that the issue of uncapping the SAF again would be revisited this year if a compelling case could be made in its favor, according to Eddy.
Eddy said the Student Union had made a compelling case in calling for the activities fee to be uncapped, citing the Union's contentions that "they had totally taken care of the rollover from last year and, in addition to that, they had significantly more requests for funding than they had the ability to fund, more so than in any other administration."
The decision to uncap the fee means that 1 percent of each student's tuition will be placed in the SAF and used to finance the operations of University- recognized clubs and organizations. Eddy said that the decision to uncap the Activities Fee means that it will grow with the 3.9-percent tuition increase that was also passed at the Board meeting. "If the tuition is increased by 3.9 percent, which is what the Board just voted on, then the SAF would increase accordingly," said Eddy. A tuition increase of 3.9 percent would set tuition for next year at just over $37,680, creating an activity fee of almost $377 per student.
The decision comes approximately a week after the Student Union submitted a proposal calling for the fee to be uncapped. Student Union President Jason Gray '10 explained last week that the Union took this initiative because on-campus clubs and organizations have become strapped for funds as more clubs are being chartered by the Senate and because the quality of events planned by clubs are improving.
Last year, an agreement was reached between the Student Union and the administration to cap the activity fee for the current academic year at its level during the 2007 to 2008 academic year due to an excess of money resulting from the SAF caused by money continually rolling over from year to year.
The agreement was reached with the understanding that the issue of uncapping the SAF again would be revisited this year if a compelling case could be made in its favor, according to Eddy.
Eddy said the Student Union had made a compelling case in calling for the activities fee to be uncapped, citing the Union's contentions that "they had totally taken care of the rollover from last year and, in addition to that, they had significantly more requests for funding than they had the ability to fund, more so than in any other administration."
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Michael Schakow '01, MA '01
posted 3/31/09 @ 10:05 AM EST
Factual correction: the SAF is not "1 percent of each student's tuition" as this article, and previous Justice articles, incorrectly state. It is an amount equal to one percent of tuition -- tuition plus the SAF equals 101% of tuition. (Continued…)
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