Student Activities Fee (SAF)

Background

The Student Activity Fee (SAF) was established in 1981 primarily to provide students with co-curricular activities and an opportunity to have input into university governance. All SUNY universities charge a student activity fee and have an SAF program. The student activity fee has been mandated by student referendum and supports programs of cultural and educational enrichment, recreational and social activities, and student publications. This fee is charged every term at $8.75 per credit, up to a maximum charge of $35 per term.

* SUNY Empire collects the lowest student activity fee within the SUNY system.

The Process

Student clubs, student governance, or university staff overseeing student programming may apply for SAF dollars to support their co-curricular activities. Examples of funded programs include:

  • commencements
  • student academic conferences
  • academic lectures student club activitiescultural and networking events
  • cultural and networking events
  • activities in specific locations, schools, and programs

Each group prepares budgets estimating the fiscal cost they will need to complete the program, activities, or events noted in their proposals for the entire year. The Office of Student Engagement will compile all of the submitted proposals and prepare them for review by the Student Government Association.

The Student Government Association is comprised of current students from across the state, across disciplines and academic programs. The committee convenes remotely to review each proposal, review the merit of the proposals, and decide on the amount of funding awarded. The committee forwards its recommendations to the university president for final approval. Once the president signs off, the allocations are announced, and spending begins with the new fiscal year on July 1.

There is now one annual SAF Cycle:       July 1 - June 30

All proposals are reviewed individually, and each recognized club or organization has an equal chance to receive funding. Not all funding requests may be allocated or allocated to the level requested. All proposals will be reviewed from a neutral lens and reviewed for equitable access for all of our students.

Allowable Expenses

SUNY Policy dictates funds are to be collected under provisions of this policy which require every student to pay the prescribed mandatory fee and all revenues generated from the use of the fee shall be used only for support of the following programs for the benefit of campus community. All funds must be designed for students.

  • Programs of cultural and educational enrichment for;
  • Recreational and social activities;Tutorial programs;
  • Tutorial programs;Athletic programs, both intramural and intercollegiate;
  • Athletic programs, both intramural and intercollegiate;Student publications and other media;
  • Student publications and other media;
  • Recognized student organizations including religious student organizations, for the purposes and activities of the organization that are of an educational, cultural, recreational or social nature; provided that the criteria for recognition of such student organizations, including, the criteria governing eligibility for funding of and allocations to such student organizations from student activity fees, shall be specified in the constitution and by-laws of the student government;Insurance related to conduct of these programs;
  • Insurance related to conduct of these programs;
  • Administration of these programs;
  • Transportation in support of these programs;
  • Student services to supplement or add to those provided by the University;
  • Remuneration and reimbursement of reasonable and necessary travel expenses in accordance with state guidelines to students for service to student government;Campus-based scholarships, fellowships and grant programs, provided the funds are administered by the campus or a campus affiliated organization;
  • Campus-based scholarships, fellowships and grant programs, provided the funds are administered by the campus or a campus affiliated organization;
  • Payments for contractual services provided by a nonprofit organization to the extent that such services are in aid of an approved student activity during the budget year and which activity serves the purposes set forth above and provided further that such payments may not be exclusively for the general corporate purposes of such organization;
  • Salaries for professional non-student employees of the student government to the extent that they are consistent with hiring practices and compensation rates of other campus-affiliated organizations; and
  • Charitable donations to a nonprofit organization; provided, however, that such donations may be funded only from the proceeds of a fundraiser held by a recognized student organization.

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Preparing Your Budgets

Directions:

All requests for funding need to be made through the Student Activities Fee Allocation/Funding Requests. Only recognized organizations, faculty, and staff are able to request funds for student activities. To request funds:

  • Enter in your contact information and your affiliation to the university.
  • If you are faculty or staff, you will be prompted if you are filling this form out as an advisor, depending on your answer, you will be promoted to enter the name of the student club or office/department/location.
  • You will need to enter the total amount of funding you are requesting every six months of the fiscal year. These amounts will total what you will use for all projects/programs. You will no longer need to enter an SAF request for each program, but a total for all funding categories. This number should be estimated for the entire year and inclusive of all cost to run all events. Additional information for cost estimates can be found in the Cost Estimates for Developing Budgets section. During the 2024-2025 fiscal year, we will only request you provide the information regarding the individual program during your reconciliation for payment after the program occurs. To determine what can be spent in each category, please review the funding categories section.Once your categorized budget has been determined, you will need to provide written justification for each section. In these sections you should enter what the funds will be used for during the fiscal year. Please provide a comprehensive description, timelines, frequency, and rationale for how you will spend the money being requested. Requests that lack detail, the funding request may be denied or reduced.
  • Once your categorized budget has been determined, you will need to provide written justification for each section. In these sections you should enter what the funds will be used for during the fiscal year. Please provide a comprehensive description, timelines, frequency, and rationale for how you will spend the money being requested. Requests that lack detail, the funding request may be denied or reduced.

If you have questions regarding this process, please email studentlife@sunyempire.edu.

Funding Categories

Operating Cost

Operating costs are any costs that are required for your organization to run, including:

  • fiscal agreements
  • Insurance
  • membership duesoffice supplies
  • office supplies
  • mailingsmarketing materials
  • marketing materials
  • printingindustry resources/publications
  • industry resources/publications

Programming/Events/Contractual Services

When planning your events for the year, you should create your best-budgeted estimate from past events, this request should be inclusive of, but not limited to:

  • Contracted services (like speakers or DJs)
  • Catering/Food
  • Security Services
  • Cleaning Services* If no past events are available, please reach out to studentlife@sunyempire.edu for assistance estimating costs.
  • * If no past events are available, please reach out to studentlife@sunyempire.edu for assistance estimating costs.

Professional Development

Develop a budget for providing financial access to conferences, training, lodging costs, and in-person for members of the organization to attend. These prices may be estimated, however, check prices for conference registrations, travel, and per diem rates. Note when booking travel, travel should be kept to the lowest cost, and no upgrades are allowed to ticketed rates (i.e., Business Class, First Class, or More Leg Room) except the cost of luggage. Airfare should be purchased as reimbursable to the method of payment. If you need reasonable accommodations for travel, please contact disability.services@sunyempire.edu to request an accommodation.

Miscellaneous Costs

This category should be used very sparingly and for requests that do not fit into any other category noted above. Acceptable requests may include:

  • Scholarships