All funding is on a reimbursement bases, and funding requests must be submitted prior
to the event or travel. After funding has been approved by the senate, you have up
to 10 working business days to submit all paperwork to the appointed Business Specialist
for USGA. Request must be made for events and travel that have been taken place in
the same academic semester. You may not submit a request to be reimbursed for an event
or travel that took place in a prior semester.
Funds can be used for:
Hiring and paying travel for performers- Meals and travel expenses are subject to
per-diem and non-employee travel regulations (BPM Section 19.9). If all costs of performing
group, including travel expenses, are included as part of a lump-sum contract, travel
regulations would not apply.
Consultant expenses.
Prizes/awards from raffles-Participation in the raffle must be available to all students.
Raffles/lotteries may be lawfully conducted without a license if participants are
allowed to enter at no cost. For these events, individual prizes must be de minimis
in value (not to exceed $100). If licenses are obtained and raffle tickets are sold,
gifts are limited to funds collected in the raffle.
Food and refreshments for student group events-Appropriate if event is open to all
students within specific identifiable group.
Promotional Items-Associated with promotional events for students, such as student
recruitment. Acceptable items would be T-shirts, mugs, plaques, flash drives, etc.
Individual value should not exceed $50. Cash awards and gift cards are strongly discouraged. Should the institution determine the use of cash awards or gift cards is the most
appropriate action, strong internal controls must be in place to account for the funds
and avoid theft. The institution may be subject to additional prohibitions on promotional
items resulting from athletic conference regulations.
Performance Based Awards-Considered acceptable if student has provided some service
and/or performed some function to receive award (e.g., writing contests, dance contests,
and various student skills competitions). Award amounts may vary based on value of
service/performance, not to exceed $500.
Staff salaries and benefits-Appropriate if included in budget as reviewed by student
fee advisory committee. The personal services supported by these fees must be directly
related to support and administration of the activities funded by the fee. Institutions
are encouraged to minimize the use of student activity fee revenue to support staff
salaries and benefits for student support administrators where general operating funds
are available.
Employee travel (including student employees)-Appropriate, but subject to State travel
regulations (BPM Section 4). For student employees, the institution will have to determine
if student employee travel is related to whether the student in question is traveling
as a student or an employee to determine which section of travel regulations apply.
Lease payments for Public Private Ventures if fee was assessed to fund service “rental”
payments. See section on Facility fees.
Other operating costs-Normal supply, maintenance and utility costs.
Funds may not be used for:
Donations should not be funded by student activity fees. Proceeds from student group
fund-raisers for a charitable purpose should be accounted for in an agency fund.
Scholarships- Prohibited unless based on some performance measure or service requirement.
Performance measures would require some academic or student activity skill to be displayed
(e.g., athletics, music, literary, math, etc.). Simply being an enrolled student would
not qualify as a performance measure.
Tips-Unless covered by State travel guidelines or service contract.
Faculty salaries and benefits-Student activity fees should not be used to directly
fund instructional costs of credit hour courses.
Intercollegiate Athletic program costs-Normally these costs should be paid from Athletic
fees. Possible exceptions could be for support groups, such as dance teams or cheerleaders,
and club sports, if included in the budget as reviewed by the student fee advisory
committee. Costs of intramural/recreational athletic programs are allowable.
Student employee recognition luncheons/meals-Not allowable if provided for an individual
or a specific group. Student employees may receive food if partaking in an event open
to all students and student employees are at function as a “student”. See bullet item
4 under appropriate expenditures.
Prospective Student travel-Not allowable unless certain conditions are met as outlined
in BPM Section 19.9.
Alcoholic beverages or any illegal substances.
Individual or club memberships in civic organizations
