Where Does Your Money Go? Exploring the Penn State Student Initiated Fee
By: Rasha Elwakil and Michael Fowler
Do you ever wonder where your student fee goes? The Penn State Student Initiated Fee (SIF) exists to fund programs, services, and spaces that directly impact and support student life. The mission of the SIF is to augment the out-of-classroom experience for both undergraduate and graduate students at University Park. While SIF increases can raise questions about where it’s being appropriated, the process of distributing funding is transparent and student-focused. (funding decisions made in FY26 will be implemented in FY28).
What is the Student Fee Board?
The SIF is appropriated by the University Park Fee Board (UPFB), a 13-person Board of students, with graduate and undergraduate representation from across University Park.
Its breakdown includes:
4 University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) Representatives
The UPUA President automatically holds a seat (can delegate the seat to the Vice President, Chief of Staff, or Speaker)
UPUA President nominates 1 representative for confirmation from the General Assembly
2 representatives are elected by the General Assembly
3 Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) Representatives
The GPSA President automatically holds a seat (can delegate the seat to the Vice President, Chief of Staff, or Speaker)
The GPSA President appoints 2 additional members
6 At-Large Representatives, either graduate or undergraduate students, with preference to those not affiliated with the UPUA or GPSA
Interviewed and appointed by the UPUA and GPSA Presidents
Given the difference in student populations at University Park, the UPUA holds 1 more seat than the GPSA in order to ensure fair and equitable representation.
At the end of each spring semester, the Board votes on a formal recommendation to the Board of Trustees (BOT), which is heard in their July meeting. In the 9-year history of the UPFB, this recommendation has never been rejected. The requests and recommendations that the Board funds are implemented 2 years in the future (i.e., current discussions impact Fiscal Year 2027-28).
All UPFB meetings are open to the public, and students can submit written public comments online.
What Does the Student Initiated Fee Fund?
The SIF supports:
Student programs and services (basic needs, recreation, etc.)
Some student employee wages within university centers and services serving the student population
Long-term upkeep of student spaces
Examples of supported spaces include the HUB 3rd Floor renovations, the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center, second stage construction of the Intramural Building (IM), and the entirety of the University Health Center.
Your SIF does not fund central administrative salaries. While the SIF funds club sports programs through Campus Recreation, no entity under Intercollegiate Athletics receives student fee funding.
Below you can see an infographic of how the SIF is broken down!
Why Are Student Fees Increasing?
The primary reason for the increase in SIF each year is inflation. Overall, the SIF increases align with an average 3% inflation rate. Some services, including University Health Services (UHS) and Student Programming (Performances), see an inflationary rate of roughly 8% due to industry averages.
In addition, student fees help support new and expanding programs. In the past 3 years, the SIF has started providing standing funding for units such as OriginLabs and the Center for Social Change and Belonging, as well as continued funding to units such as Campus Recreation, BJC Subsidized Tickets, and student resource centers such as the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, the Bank of America Professional Attire Closet, and the Basic Needs Center.
Currently, the UPFB is working on a project to update the enrollment number that it uses to calculate the per-student SIF. With annually increasing costs across most units (due to inflation and new initiatives), this enrollment update will spread the expenditures of the UFPB across more students, resulting in a smaller increase and financial burden on every student at University Park.
Can You Opt Out?
There is no general student fee waiver for University Park students; waivers do exist for students enrolled in:
Continuing Education (CE) Programs
GO-60 Students
World Campus as the primary campus
Prison Education Program
These waivers apply to students who do not access campus services or resources.
Stay Informed!
Students are encouraged to attend the open Student Fee Board Meetings on Fridays at 8AM HUB Room 102, submit public comments online that will be read out during meetings, and follow @pennstate.upfeeboard on Instagram for updates and engagement opportunities!
Student Initiated Fee decisions are made by students, for students with long-term planning. Increases reflect inflation, growing student needs, and transparent investments in campus services and spaces!
Additional Information!
Website - https://www.studentfee.psu.edu/
