The Undergraduate Student Government
at Michigan Technological University

What Even is the Student Activity Fee?

This top question asked amongst students on campus is a large one, and we want to address any and all questions related to the Student Activity Fee.


The Student Activity Fee is charged to your student bill automatically for each semester that you attend Michigan Technological University, and differs amongst graduate and undergraduate students.


The Student Activity Fee is what makes up the majority of campus engagement activities and programs for students. It's what powers most student organizations and enables the creation of large events, crazy activities, and some of the best campus traditions!

What Does the Student Activity Fee Fund?

Click on each element to see more details!

How Much Does the Student Activity Fee Cost?

The Student Activity Fee differs between undergraduate and graduate students. All students are required to pay the Student Activity Fee, but students can take advantage of the many benefits that it provides to the campus community!

Undergraduate Students pay $80 per semester for the Student Activity Fee!


This covers RSO budgets, which make up ~50% of the Student Activity Fee, campus initiatives and traditions, as well as SBG budgets!

Graduate Students pay $50 per semester for the Student Activity Fee!


The graduate student activity fee goes towards the Graduate Student Government (~50%) and Registered Student Organizations (~50%)

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I required to pay the Student Activity Fee? Can I opt-out?

All undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a semester at Michigan Tech are required to pay the Student Activity Fee. However, there are ways that you can get so much more value out of the fee by just participating as a student on campus! Any club that you join, campus event that you participate in, or tradition you enjoy is likely funded by the Student Activity Fee!

What happens to left-over money for Registered Student Organizations?

Student Activity Fee money does not rollover from fiscal year to fiscal year. This is because we re-evaluate organization's impact on campus and its students each year, and make changes based on these pieces of data.


However, Student Activity Fee money does not disappear, and instead gets placed into a Reserve Fund managed by the Undergraduate Student Government. Any organization seeking replacement equipment, looking for safety equipment, or wanting to propose a campus initiative can come forward with a proposal to use the Reserve Fund at any time!

How do you evaluate who gets Student Activity Fee money?

Firstly, we rely heavily on the fact that this money is student money, and ensure that it stays that way while being used by organizations. When making budget decisions, we evaluate student engagement and campus impact as two key factors, as those directly reflect the will of the students over their money. We also try to distribute the money in a fair and equitable way, evaluating past usage to ensure that organizations and initiatives are using the money that they receive.


We constantly encourage any organization to make use of the Opportunity Fund and Reserve Fund, as it gives students additional opportunity to evaluate the usage of your money.


Finally, the Undergraduate Student Government is non-political, and does not make decisions based on the content of an organization, initiative, or event. This is overseen by the Ways and Means Committee, the Undergraduate Student Government Treasurer, and an advisor from Student Leadership and Involvement.

How much money does the Undergraduate Student Government get?

The money allocated to the Undergraduate Student Government is part of the budget distribution for Special Budgetary Groups (SBGs), which is overseen by Michigan Tech Faculty / Staff, USG, and the Graduate Student Government. The budget varies from year to year, but all money is generally used for committee work, small campus projects, and professional development for members.


Undergraduate Student Government budget falls under the following groups, and is generally consistent between fiscal years:


  • Committee Usage (Public Relations, Political Affairs, Student Affairs, and Events)
  • Voter Engagement
  • Executive Board and Ways and Means Stipends (for ~50 hours of work between 2 weekends along with meetings with University Administration)
  • Student Government Conferences in Michigan (for 1UP and USGC)
  • Office Supplies (including printing costs)
  • Retreats and Member Socials (to build member engagement and brainstorm ideas for representation)


While the Reserve Fund is overseen by the Undergraduate Student Government, we do not have direct access to the funds, and must go through the same proposal process to demonstrate needs for a campus initiative and project. Any undergraduate student may voice their concerns regarding Reserve Fund usage at any time, and students have a right to know what their money is going towards.

What Does the Student Activity Fee Exactly Cover?

A ton of things that you see and do on-campus are funded or covered by the Student Activity Fee! There's so much you can get out of the SAF for so little!

The Student Activity Fee supports over 175 student organizations. This includes many campus favorite organizations like the Outdoor Venture Crew, Mitch’s Misfits, and Pep Band. Student organizations use their budgets to create some of the most popular events on campus including Diwali Night, the Drag Show, and Evening With Industry.


The SAF also supports six Special Budget Group Student Organizations (MUB Board, Film Board, SLS, WMTU, The Lode, and USG). These organizations bring everything from weekly blockbuster movies to beloved traditions like Stuff a Husky to much needed student services like the Break Bus. 

Your Student Activity Fee works hard to continue many of Michigan Tech’s greatest traditions. Welcome Week, K-Day, Homecoming, Winter Carnival and Spring Fling. If you’ve enjoyed the Fireworks, Stage Revue, Royalty competition, or many other Winter Carnival activities, you can thank your Student Activity Fee.

The Student Affairs uses your Student Activity Fee to support a host of programs that enhance student experiences at Michigan Tech. The Community Service Initiative takes students into the local and global community to affect positive change through support for events like Make a Difference Day and Alternative Spring Break.


The Leadership Initiative helps huskies grow into passionate servant leaders by supporting Leadershape and Husky Lead events. Your Student Activity Fee brings world renowned comedians, musicians, and performers to Houghton through Late Night Programming. Michigan Tech students get out and enjoy nature on the tech trails, the Keweenaw and beyond through equipment rentals and guided trips hosted by the Outdoor Adventure Program. 


Your SAF also helps provide other initiatives including Wellness, the Challenge Course, and Student Leadership Awards.

New Student Organizations need money and resources to get the ball rolling. Through the Opportunity Fund, the Student Activity Fee is able to help establish new and exciting Student Organizations every year.

If an RSO has a crucial piece of equipment break right before their big tournament, they need to replace important safety equipment in order to continue their activity, or they want to get a new piece of equipment that makes their organization even more effective, the Student Activity Fee Reserve Fund is here to help meet those needs.


Organizations are able to apply for these funds once per year. The Reserve Fund has been used for trailer repairs, boat repairs, helmets, pads, and even a brand new bouldering wall. 

Michigan Tech students have tenacity, so it is no surprise when student organizations advance to higher level competitions, get invited to exclusive conferences, or develop new and exciting events mid-year. The Opportunity Fund helps bring student organizations to new heights by supporting events that were not budgeted for in the previous budget year.

The Student Activity Fee's Reserve Fund can be used to make improvements to Michigan Tech’s Campus. The most recent campus improvement project was the installation of Free Menstrual Product dispensers all across campus.


These projects are made possible by efforts from the Undergraduate Student Government body.

usg@mtu.edu

(906) 487-2406

The Undergraduate Student Government is a Special Budgetary Group of Michigan Technological University. The Undergraduate Student Government's website is hosted on Michigan Tech property, and any and all logos that contain the Michigan Tech brand are owned by the university itself.