Student Government Association increases activity fees

Rolled into the “sticker price” of tuition and fees at Viterbo University is the student activity fee, a charge of $95 per semester on all undergraduate student accounts. The fee is intended for the funding of student clubs and organizations, as well as other projects that benefit the student population. The entirety of the money collected for the student activity fee is allocated to the Student Government Association, who in turn screen and approve requests for funds to student clubs and organizations on campus.  

According to Logan Jancsurak, SGA President, the activity fee will be raised from $95 to $125 per semester, starting with the Fall semester of the 2022-2023 school year. Jancsurak stated that the decision to raise the activity fee by $30 per semester was a unanimous one among SGA members. The increase was also approved by Viterbo’s cabinet and Board of Trustees.  

When asked why the activity fee was being increased, Jancsurak stated, “The student activity fee has not been increased in well over a decade, and to account for inflation, we [SGA] have decided to increase the fee.” Jancsurak also said that the current funding SGA receives from the student activity fee is not enough to cover the needs of the student clubs and organizations on campus. There is concern that “without an increase, things may need to be cut.” 

However, one Viterbo student who would like to remain anonymous had concern for the amount the activity fee is increasing. The student, who asked to be referred to as “D,” wanted to know why increasing student clubs and organization funding should fall largely on the student population when tuition and fees already are a burden on students and their families. D said, “An extra $30 a semester on top of already increasing tuition, room, and board is an additional cost I am concerned about covering.” D expressed that these costs “add up quickly,” and that while they do not expect fees to remain completely the same, “The amount of small increases makes for a lot of anxiety in my head as the cost of my Viterbo education rises each year.” 

According to Viterbo’s statistics, the undergraduate population stands at 1,514 students. With each student currently being charged $95 per semester, SGA receives $143,830 each semester to fund student clubs and organizations, or $287,660 annually. The $30 increase per semester will generate an additional $45,420 each semester and $90,840 annually. When in effect, the new student activity fee of $125 per semester will allocate $378,500 annually for SGA to fund student clubs, organizations, and other student benefits.  

In addition to funding all student clubs and organizations, the student activity fee also funds projects to improve student life on campus. In the past, they allocated funds towards the sand volleyball pit in Marian Courtyard, safer storage for bicycles on campus, and renovations to the student union and other campus community spaces. Jancsurak said this year SGA is working to improve “student parking, the library, and campus safety. SGA also has a renewed focus on improving the mental health of students and would like to use some of the increased funds to focus on mental health initiatives.”