Purpose

The Student Initiated Fee (SIF) supports student-centered activities, services, facilities, and recreation to enhance student life.

The Student-Initiated Fee is the result of student leaders’ drive to be more involved in the creation of the overall student experience. The Student-Initiated Fee funds activities and programs, facilities and infrastructure, recreation, and student basic needs and services to improve student life at Penn State—for students and by students.

More information on the history, mission, and principles of the Student Initiated Fee can be found in the SIF Handbook.

Your Fee Dollars at Work

Last year, because of the Student Activity Fee, Campus Activities Board alone hosted over seventy-one events impacting over 1,100 students. The activity fee also generously supported intramurals and recreation, club sports, Recognized Student Organizations, and various department initiatives.

Examples of more recent projects funded by the Student Initiated Facility Fee include new treadmills and weight equipment in the Adler Athletic COmplex, the Slep Student Center first floor renovation (2012), the construction and renovation of the Adler Athletic Complex (2018), as well as the addition of digital signs, phone charging centers, new lounge furniture in high-use student areas on campus, filtered drinking fountains, and more!

Structure

The Student Fee Allocation Committee consists of the following members:

  • SGA President (co-chair)*
  • Chief Student Affairs officer or designee (co-chair)
  • Six Student Appointees
  • Two Alternate Student Appointees
  • One Staff Member**
  • One Faculty Member**
  • Business Services Representative (Student Facility Fee only)**

*In the event of a tied vote, the SGA President makes the final decision.
**Non-voting committee members

The committee meets for one hour weekly throughout the academic year. Students interested in applying to be on the committee should submit an application online (link coming soon).

Proposal Process

Requests for funding are submitted to the Allocation Committee. This committee is responsible for reviewing proposals and allocating funds in a manner consistent with the purpose of the fee and in accordance with policies set forth by the Commonwealth Fee Board.

Submission forms for the Student Initiated Fee and Student Facility Fee can be found online (links coming soon). Proposals must be submitted at least two business days prior to the weekly meeting to be reviewed. Proposals submitted late will not be considered for that allocation meeting but rather held over to the next meeting date. The fee cannot fund any retroactive request.

Tips for Submitting a Proposal

Each year, the amount of funding requested from the Student Initiated Fee: Activities fund exceeds the amount available for awards. With that in mind, the following tips are offered to help you maximize your potential for receiving funds.

Find another organization to collaborate with for your programming proposal. This may help you reach a broader portion of the campus community with your programming efforts. Since the fee rarely funds a proposal at 100% of request, sharing financial resources will also be of help to your group, and historically has been viewed positively by the Allocation Committee.

Not sure where to find potential partners? We suggest starting in the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement, in room 103 of the Slep Student Center, for a complete listing of registered student organizations. Other resources include the Student Government Association (126 Slep Student Center) and the Office of Student Affairs (103 Slep Student Center).

As mentioned above, it is rare for the Fee Committee to fund a program in its entirety. Resources vs. demand simply don't allow this to happen on a regular basis. Therefore, when you are drafting your proposal, give serious thought to ways that your organization can invest in the proposed event/program/trip/etc. Partner with the fee to help make your proposal as financially viable as possible.

Fee funds, by policy, should be invested in programming that is open to all campus students. Keep that in mind as you write your proposal. All events funded in full or in part by the fee should be registered and approved on Discover to give every student the opportunity to participate. Attendees must also be checked in to the event on the Discover platform as well.

Complete the proposal form in its entirety. Be specific, especially when it comes to what your program goals are and how the program will benefit the campus community. Submit a detailed budget request. Consider all anticipated expenses, including food, travel, advertising, shipping, maintenance, or technical service costs, etc. Official quotes must be attached to your proposal. Acceptable quotes include: printed price lists, brochures, and menus from the vendor; a screenshot of an online shopping cart (include shipping); an email from the vendor; and other formal written quotes from the vendor.

If you would like someone to look over your proposal for completeness before you submit it, please ask a staff member in the Student Leadership and Involvement Office in room 103 of the Slep Student Center.

Don't wait until the final few days to submit your proposal. Plan ahead and submit as early as possible. Funding is allocated quickly, so if you wait, there is always the possibility that resources will be exhausted when your proposal comes in. In addition, if your proposal does not receive funding (tabled or denied), you may have an opportunity to appeal or rewrite the proposal based on Committee recommendations and input.

Proposals must be received by the deadline date to be considered at the next allocation meeting. Proposals submitted late will not be considered for that allocation meeting but rather held over to the next meeting date. As a reminder, the fee cannot fund any retroactive requests.

Please refer to the SIF Handbook for additional information regarding guidelines and policies.

The Office of Student Leadership and Involvement staff can provide you with advice and help regarding the submission of a funding proposal. Visit their office in room 103 of the Slep Student Center.