Student Organizations FAQ

What is the Student Activity Fee?

• It is a fee charged to all undergraduate, graduate and professional students each semester. The fee is used to fund major campus events planned by athletics, Student Government Association, Collegiate Activities Board, student organizations, the President, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students.
  
  Students are encouraged to join any of the 100+ plus student organizations on the Weatherford and Sayre campuses that may represent social, service, professional, political, and/or spiritual points of view. These organizations give students an opportunity to have their voice heard or give current members their ideas! These organizations are always looking for energetic students to help brainstorm ideas on how any particular organization can add to the campus environment.

How much money do I pay for the Student Activity Fee?

• As of Fall semester 2013, the amount of Student Activity Fee is $11.50 per credit hour.

Who pays the Student Activity Fee?

• The fee is charged to all undergraduate, graduate, and professional students enrolled at SWOSU.

What types of events are sponsored by the fee?

• The fee funds free concerts, lectures, comedy shows, movies, and special events, as well as graduate and professional student programming, alternative break service trips, Panorama events, and programs sponsored by registered student organizations. The fees also provide support for equipment, uniforms, and expenses for the Marching and Basketball Bands, as well as outreach programs to present musical performances by SWOSU bands, choirs, jazz, and other ensembles in area schools and other locations off campus.

How can I be involved in deciding which events are brought to campus?

• Panorama events. See Dr. Boone Clemmons, Assistant Vice President for Public Relations & Marketing.
• SGA events. See the SGA President.
• Dean of Students events. See the Dean of Students in Stafford 214.
• CAB Events. See CAB Director in Stafford 214.
  
  You can also join CAB and have your voice heard or give current members your ideas! CAB is the Collegiate Activities Board, which receives 1.21% of the fee to plan campus events. CAB is always looking for energetic students to help brainstorm ideas of what performers and events to bring to campus. New members can sign up in the Dean of Students office at any time.

How do student organizations benefit from the Activity Fee?

• Each registered student organization is eligible to receive a max of $2,500 per school year from the Student Allocations Committee in operating funds. SWOSU clubs have the opportunity to apply for allocations in the fall (depending on their registration status) for special programs that anyone on campus can attend.

What accountability exists for organizations that get the largest share of the Activity Fee?

• The primary beneficiary of the Student Activity Fee funding is Athletics. Next are the activities planning groups, including Panorama, Collegiate Activities Board (CAB), Student Government Association (SGA), and all registered clubs and organizations. They are audited annually.
  
  Each of the groups receiving allocations funds must report each fall to the Student Allocations Committee, sharing information about their budgets, their upcoming plans, and the success of their past programs. They must also publicize that they are “partially” funded by proceeds from the Student Activity Fee.
  
  Allocations of the student activity fee are governed by historical university practices, agreements between university presidents and student leadership, and student passed funding mandates. The university budget process assures that these practices are honored on a year-to year basis. Additionally, all student activity funds are subject to annual audits by the governing board internal audit team, the annual external financial audit team and by the internal audit team of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and State Auditor.

Who decides how the Student Activity Fee is allocated?

• The University Executive Team, President and Vice Presidents, the Student Allocations Committee, reviews funding requests made to each of their funds by registered student organizations and makes decisions about approving those requests.

Who decides how the Student Activity Fee allocations are awarded?

• Each of the four Deans at SWOSU put four students of their choice on the allocations committee. It is chaired each year by a student chosen from this group by the Dean of Students. Only students attend the allocations hearings. Only students rate the ideas and decide how much money is allocated to each group. Groups seeking allocations funds present their event ideas and related budgets to the Student Allocations Committee. The committee hears all requests and then ranks them in order of funding priority. The committee annually receives requests for approximately three times the amount of funds they have to allocate.

How does an organization get the actual funds allocated to them to spend?

• Allocated Funds for Student Organization Activity Funds:
  
  Funding is available for approved campus organizations to provide campus wide activities. A student allocations committee, with oversight by the Dean of Students, reviews all requests from student organizations for these funds. The committee recommendations for funding must be approved by the Dean of Students and Vice- President for Student Affairs. These funds are deposited in a university account and are subject to the same requirements as any other student activity expenditures. There are three basic rules for use of these funds:
  • The amount and purpose must be approved by the
  • A large purchase order, (signed by an organizational officer and sponsor) must be approved, prior to the purchase, by the Student Activities Coordinator and through the Business Affairs
  • An invoice or check requisition (signed by the sponsor and officer) must be submitted to the Business Affairs office for
    
    The funds may not be used for scholarships, donations, alcoholic beverages, cash advances gift cards, or for personal enrichment. Reimbursement of expenditures is allowed when a properly documented receipt is presented.
    
    Payment cannot be made from a purchase order, an invoice must be submitted; or if no invoice is available, a check requisition can be used. Do not submit both; this could result in the payment being made twice. When the invoice is presented to the Business Affairs office for payment, payment can be expected within a week.

How can I find out about Student Activity Fee-funded events?

• The most convenient way to make sure you hear about some of the great campus events and opportunities funded by the Fee is to subscribe to the SWOSU Calendar, watch for fliers approved for posting by the Dean of Students office, and get on the CAB mailing list.

What is Panorama?

• SWOSU’s Panorama series of speakers, bands, comedy acts, and other variety shows has been on the Weatherford campus since 1991. Panorama is partially supported by an endowed lectureship sponsored by Southwestern Bell Foundation. The ticket cost usually is based on the event cost to SWOSU. The Panorama Committee sets the ticket fee based on the annual selection of events.

Who decides what Panorama shows to bring to SWOSU?

• SWOSU has a Panorama Committee comprised of students, faculty, staff, administrators and one community member. Students are invited to participate in an online survey each year on programming.

What is the Panorama ticket cost to students? Non students?

• For most events, cost is $5 for students and $10 for non-students with all tickets at the door $20. The Panorama Committee usually has one free program each year.

What is the process for changing the amount of the Student Activity fee charged?

• Fee changes are discussed with our student leadership and the university community during the spring semester. Our recommendations are then presented at public meetings to both our governing board and the state coordinating board.