by RACHEL SHEPHERD
ASSISTANT EDITOR
The Student Government Association has a lot on their plate. In addition to the
anticipated THON, a rally at the capital, and planned events throughout the next
few months, SGA is also planning a fee increase to fund student activities.
Clubs and organizations on campus have not been able to fund all of their activ
ities this year due to lack of money in the Student Activity Fund.
"SAF is pretty much running dry," said SGA President Lee Cutchall.
The Harrisburg campus is the third largest, outside of University Park. However,
PSH has one of the
lowest activity
funds. The reasons
for this include the
growing number of
freshman and sopho
mores, as well as the
increase of students
living on campus
and the costs of
events going up.
The SAF commit
tee will propose fee
increase of ten dol
lars per semester to
pull the account to a level even with student population and budget requests.
Increasing the SAF money will also spark interest in students coming to Penn
State Harrisburg, as the SAF is the financial backing in student programs.
"SAF is funding less and less of proposals from clubs," said Cutchall. "The
requested amount is thousands of dollars higher than the SGA can allocate."
Cutchall would like to clear up any misconception about the very distinct funds,
SGA and SAF. The SGA and the SAF are completely separate budgets.
"I can't go in there and say 'I need money, give it to me,'"Cutchall said.
Cutchall plans to move ahead with the request this month.
"Every year, we make a call in February as to whether or not to increase the SAF
amount," he said.
The long-anticipated THON- will take place next weekend, February 21 and 22.
To raise additional money for the event, SGA will be selling T-shirts donated by
Faulkner Honda. SGA will also hold a "lock-up" of students and professors, for
two and five dollars respectively to "bail them out." This event will take place on
Tuesday, February 17.
On Monday, March
22, Penn State and sev
eral other schools will
participate in a Rally-at
the Rotunda to protest
tuition hikes. Their
hope is to have 50-100
students attending the
event, which will
include a political rally
and voter registration.
Senator Ted Miller said, "this is not a lobby." Rather, the emphasis is on political
involvement, as Pennsylvania will face, one of their biggest election years to date.
In other business, SGA approved funds to be distributed to the Film Festival in
the amount of $1,720. An open house to meet the Provost and Dean of the col
lege will take place February 18 at 7:00 p.m.