One of the hallmarks of the University of Massachusetts Amherst is the numerous Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) and Agencies. They enable the campus community to participate in meaningful coalitions and gain valuable academic, professional and interpersonal experiences. Over the past two years, issues regarding the funding of RSOs and Agencies have led to detrimental budget cuts, resulting in the inability of these groups to fulfill their functions entirely. This new trend has resulted in the loss of hosting impactful events for the campus community, traveling to represent the University at conferences and competitions and paying student staff, all of which are things students deserve. A feasible and pragmatic solution to this issue could add millions of dollars to the RSO and Agency budget.

Every year, all undergraduate students pay a Student Activities Fee, also known as the Student Affairs Trust Fund (SATF), which is allocated towards the Student Government Association’s (SGA) budget. This budget is then distributed to the SGA, RSOs and Agencies. For the 2024-2025 academic year, the total fee per student was $266, amounting to $6,104,966, as per the SGA Ways and Means Committee.

The UMass Amherst Office of the Bursar states on its website that the student activity fee “supports the undergraduate student government as well as over two hundred existing Registered Student Organizations on campus,” but fails to mention a glaring issue with the fee: of each $266 fee paid, $100 is allocated to the mortgage for the renovations of the Student Union building, which commenced in 2019.

The repayment fees amount to a total of 38.6 percent, or $2,295,100, of the annual student activity revenue for F/Y 2025. With only $3,648,875.98 remaining to disperse from nearly $11 million in requests reported by the SGA, it is apparent that there is insufficient funding to sustain the growing demand for student engagement on campus.

This repayment began in 2016 when the SGA started exploring options to renovate the Student Union — a necessary project that had been long overdue. The building, constructed in 1957, had not undergone any major renovations. Moreover, the building was not up to fire code, failed to meet accessibility standards and contained asbestos, creating an unsafe environment for students. What was particularly concerning about this process is that when an academic or residential building has had pervasive issues, the administration has been responsible for remediation, not the students.

In Dec. 2017, the SGA conducted a student referendum on allocating funding for a comprehensive renovation of the facility using a portion of the SATF. The referendum passed 1,246-1,012, with about 10 percent of the student body voting. These narrow margins and low turnout for passing the project highlighted a lack of proper education and student engagement on an issue that has immense effects on thousands of UMass students.

The final deal between the SGA saw the UMass administration approve an increase in the SATF to finance half of the $62 million renovation of the Student Union, with the University committing to cover the remaining 50 percent of the renovation costs. The SATF from $231 in FY 2019 to $248 in FY 2020, marking a 7.4 percent rise. Then-SGA President Anthony Vitale stated that the “increased fee will remain in place only until the project is paid off.” This was an incredibly problematic decision that lacked foresight and bound the SATF to the cost of the renovation for decades to come. This agreement between the Student Government and the University administration stipulates that portions of the student activity fee will be withheld annually until the cost of the renovation is fully paid off.

Looking back on this deal today, this proposal has aged poorly. It is unconscionable that nearly 40 percent of the SATF revenue is allocated towards repayment of the renovation. Student agencies and RSOs face significant funding challenges despite the continued collection of fees. Rather than continuing the current trajectory, we propose that the SGA and University administration explore alternatives to covering these costs, such as reallocating administrative funds, increasing budget transparency, achieving better consensus, implementing ethical fiscal management or exploring alternative funding models to ensure the SATF does justice to student life.

Tour groups often walk through the Student Union’s halls and down its trademark steps, as the building, along with its RSOs and Agencies, serves as a selling point for prospective students and their families. The Student Union benefits the whole University, and more funding from the University is necessary.

Recently, the University administration demonstrated its capacity to allocate resources for student programming, most notably the Spring Blast activities during the weekend of the Blarney Blowout. Various field trips, on-campus performances and giveaways were held to deter students from attending the infamous event. While helpful in redirecting attention, it illustrates that when incentives and willpower are present, support for student activity and engagement can be substantial.

It is essential to acknowledge that long-term, meaningful student engagement does not solely stem from university-sponsored events. These SATF-funded RSOs and Agencies play a critical role in ensuring students feel supported. Furthermore, in this time of great uncertainty, DEI programs and marginalized communities are facing attacks from the federal government. The administration must do everything possible to support RSOs and Agencies, as they play a vital role in representing marginalized groups and fostering a sense of belonging on campus.

If the situation surrounding the SATF and the SGA budget process is not seriously rectified, student organizations are at a tremendous risk of decline. The Ways and Means Mandatory Budget Cut meeting on Wednesday, April 30, reiterated this point, in which Chair Maia Shyteman announced that agencies and RSOs should expect severe across the board budget cuts, by as much as 69 percent.

Agencies and RSOs cannot operate under these budget cuts, and the SGA and administration must proactively seek to rectify this situation. The first task should be for the administration to fully understand the risks associated with losing student organizations due to inadequate funding. RSOs and Agencies are the backbone of campus life, providing opportunities for leadership, personal growth and community building. If the University truly values student engagement, it must fully fund the Student Union and allow student organizations and agencies to bring purpose and energy to the space.

If you are a student impacted by this, please consider the following:

• Fill out a form stating your thoughts, experiences and curiosities regarding SATF funding and the Student Union repayment. These responses can be anonymous if desired.
• Attend a meeting in the CEPA office on Sept. 24, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. We will review what was shared with us, discuss it further and devise steps towards action.

We urge the University to renegotiate the terms of the renovation payment and restore these funds to the student organizations and agencies that desperately need them. The future of student life at UMass depends on it. Let’s ensure that our campus remains a place where students can thrive, not just in name but in practice.

Sincerely,

The CEPA Staff