While students don’t have a say in the allocation of tuition and academic fees the University collects from them, the one portion of expenditures they do have control over is the $191 incidental fee they pay each term.
Three student government committees, composed of elected leaders, distribute the money to fund student programs, athletics tickets for students and the EMU.
This year, the University will spend roughly $10.3 million in incidental fees collected from students.
The following breakdown shows how the ASUO’s Programs Finance Committee allocated approximately $5.2 million in incidental fees for the 2005-06 academic year. The numbers shown are not the programs’ entire budgets, but the amount they receive from incidental fees.
Programs Finance Committee
$904,086 Student Recreation Center
More University freshmen use the rec center than any other demographic, Physical Activity and Recreation Services Director Dennis Munroe said, with about 80 percent of them utilizing it last year. The rec center receives an average of 3,500 visitors each day. About 63 percent of undergraduate students and 42 percent of graduate students exercise in the rec center at some point during each year.
$639,700 Lane Transit District
All University students can ride LTD buses for free, anytime, to any destination, by showing their student identification. This is because student government contracts with LTD annually, paying for the entire cost of the service with incidental fees.
$317,759 Career Center
Students can go to the Career Center for assistance with student employment, internships, career assessment and counseling, job search planning, help with their resumes and mock interviews. 541-346-3235
$285,617 ASUO Executive
This portion of incidental fees pays for student government payroll, elections and other ASUO expenses. It also pays $102,165 to the Oregon Student Association, a group of students who represent the interest of students in Oregon before the state legislature, Oregon University System and other state boards and commissions. 541-346-3724
$280,135 Co-op Family Center
This family center, located in Spencer View Family Housing, provides child care for student parents who want to be involved in the decision-making, funding, teaching and other aspects of their children’s care. www.uoregon.edu/~svinfo
$233,656 Child Care Subsidy
This program pays a percentage of child care expenses for low-income student parents. The first 190 eligible applicants are awarded yearly subsidies. www.uoregon.edu/~ccsub
$206,490 ASUO Legal Services
ASUO Legal Services provides attorneys and law school students who can give free legal advice and a wide range of other legal services, including assistance and representation in landlord-tenant disputes, divorce and separation issues, small claims, misdemeanor criminal matters, debt problems and more. 541-346-4273
$188,369 ASUO Programs and Assessment
This money pays the accounting staff for the ASUO and ASUO programs.
$166,091 Campus Recycling
This program received the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2005 College/University Partner of the Year Award. As reported by the Emerald earlier this year, Facilities Services Recycling Program Manager Karyn Kaplan said that while the population of University students keeps increasing, the amount of waste coming out of the University has been decreasing.
$154,091 Rec Sports
A part of Physical Activity and Recreation Services, this program offers the opportunity for students, faculty and staff at all skill levels to participate in league sports and short tournaments throughout the year. League sports cost $45 and many of the tournaments are free. 541-346-4113
$146,759 ASUO Women’s Center
Women’s Center spokeswoman Stefanie Loh said the mission of the Women’s Center is to “advocate for the best working and educational environment for women at the University of Oregon and the surrounding community.” www.uoregon.edu/~women
$145,647 ASUO Office of Student Advocacy
The student advocacy office provides free legal representation for students who have a problem with some facet or facets of their experience at the University. Issues the office deals with include disputes with University Housing, Student Conduct Code changes, fees and business affairs, student employment, discrimination, academic problems, faculty and staff misconduct, student record issues and residency. gladstone.uoregon.edu/~asuoosa
$125,000 Oregon Daily Emerald
This money pays for a student body subscription to the independent, student-run newspaper, making it free on the newsstands. The most widely read publication on campus, this newspaper reports on issues concerning the University community. www.dailyemerald.com
$120,074 Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group
The University’s chapter of OSPIRG is a student group that strives to investigate environmental, social and consumer problems, find solutions and then pitch them to the media and decision makers. 541-346-4377
$115,021 Oregon Marching Band
The OMB is the largest student group at the University with more than 240 members. The band plays at every home football game and at selected away games. omb.uoregon.edu
$94,307 Designated Driver Shuttle
The Designated Driver Shuttle taxis intoxicated students home. The service operates seven days a week from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. DDS is temporarily out of service. 541-346-RIDE
$94,297 ASUO Multicultural Center
The Multicultural Center provides a space for meetings and events pertaining to race, culture, gender and sexuality. gladstone.uoregon.edu/~multictr
$86,209 Mentor Program
This for-credit program that puts students in touch with professionals who can answer their questions and advise them in their chosen fields. 541-346-6021
$79,634 KWVA 88.1 Campus Radio
Go to gladstone.uoregon.edu/%7Ekwva/shows.htm for a schedule of programming on KWVA, a student-run FM station. Request Line: 541-346-0645. Main office 541-346-4091
$78,901 Assault Prevention Shuttle
This program provides students with an alternative to traveling alone on foot between 6 p.m. and midnight on weeknights and between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. on weekends. To reserve a free ride, call 541-346-RIDE.
$78,473 International Resource Center
The International Resource Center, located in the EMU, offers books, newspapers and magazines it stocks from all over the globe. The IRC also organizes activities and events such as International Week in November, Resource Consultant Yuriko Une said. The IRC also has an open coffee hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. every Friday night office.darkwing.uoregon.edu/~irc/pages/home.htm
$80,439 Sexual Assault Support Services and Crisis Center
The University Crisis Line offers anonymous telephone counseling and referrals to students dealing with depression, eating disorders, sexual assault, relationship problems, academic issues, suicide concerns and other problems. The Crisis Line: 541-346-4488.
$41,370 Conflict Resolution Services
This program provides mediators and facilitators to help solve conflicts brought to them by students requesting help. CRS also offers workshops, volunteer opportunities and more. studentlife.uoregon.edu/programs/crs/index.htm
$31,929 Forensics Program
Part of the Robert D. Clark Honors College, members of this debate team participate in policy debate, parliamentary debate and other individual events. www.uoregon.edu/~forensic
$32,000 University Theatre
The University Theatre offers students discounted tickets to their performances. darkwing.uoregon.edu/~theatre
$23,203 ASUO Student Senate
Most of this money goes toward student Senators’ salaries.
$22,728 LGTB Educational and Support Services Program
This office provides one-on-one counseling and support for students who need advice on coming out. Director Chicora Martin sai
d her program also offers training on how to be an LGTB ally to those who request it. 541-346-1134
$21,682 Land Air Water
LAW is the nation’s oldest student environmental law society. This group’s main expense is the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference it organizes, costing $19,935 in incidental fees. 541-346-3828
$20,847 International Student Association
ISA is an international organization that helps students from foreign countries adjust to U.S. culture, society and classrooms as well as organizing International Week and Night during spring quarter. isa.uoregon.edu
$18,349 Student Insurgent
This is a free, partially left-wing, partially anarchical paper at the University, published for the Eugene and Springfield communities. gladstone.uoregon.edu/~insurgnt/aboutus.html
$18,312 MEChA
This Chicano student group’s main expenses this year are its conference, at $6,200, and Cinco De Mayo, at $2,208. gladstone.uoregon.edu/~mecha
$16,876 Survival Center
The SC is an organization for students that is geared toward educating the campus community around issues of social justice and environmentalism. gladstone.uoregon.edu/~survival
$16,821 Native American
Student Union
The NASU’s main expense is its Pow Wow at $6,200. 541-346-3723
$16,376 Oregon Commentator
A free, independent journal of opinion published for the University community.www.oregoncommentator.com
$16,238 Ecological Design Center
According to the EDC’s mission statement, this organization aims to “educate and inspire University of Oregon design students to have awareness, sensitivity, and expertise to lead the community toward sustainability.” The EDC’s main expense is its Hopes 12 eco-design conference, at $11,473 which will be held in April this year. 541-346-0719
$15,103 Asian Pacific American Student Union
The APASU’s main expense is Heritage Month, costing $6,542 in incidental fees. gladstone.uoregon.edu/~apasu
$13,736 Black Student Union
The BSU’s main expenses are Black History Month, at $2,045, Black Arts Festival, at $1,965, and Kwanzaa, at $1,460 in incidental fees. darkwing.uoregon.edu/~bsu
$13,225 United States
Student Association
This student lobbying group believes that higher education is a right and works to expand access to education at the federal, state and local levels. 541-346-0628
$12,949 Coalition Against Environmental Racism
In its mission statement this group says that it aims to bring different student groups and the community together for the purposes of promoting justice for those who, because of low-income, are subject to an “unequal distribution of risks and burdens” associated with the state of the environment around them. gladstone.uoregon.edu/~caer
Miscellaneous
There are 78 more student groups that receive incidental fees through the PFC in amounts less than $12,000 per year.
Included in those groups are: African Student Association, American Advertising Federation/Ad Club, Amnesty International, Asian Pacific American Student Union, Black Women of Achievement, Chinese Student Association, Community Internship Program, Dance Oregon, Hawaii Club, Hong Kong Student Association, Japanese Student Organization, Jewish Student Union, Korean Student Association, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Alliance, Literary Society, Men’s Club, Muslim Student Association, Nontraditional Student Union, Oregon Marine Students Association, Oregon Voice, Outlaws, Panhellenic Council, Pocket Playhouse, Students for Choice, Students of the Indian Subcontinent, UO Interfraternity Council, Vietnamese Students Association and an array of different student groups affiliated with the University’s School of Law.
Erb Memorial Union
The EMU Board allocates $3,703,606 of incidental fees to EMU programs and services.
$809,294 EMU administration
This fee goes mainly to employee salaries and benefits, maintenance and repair, fees, services and assessments and marketing.
$753,143 House facilities
This pays the electricity bill, waste disposal, custodial salaries and maintenance of the EMU.
$445,562 Child care and development
This money goes to University child daycare facilities.
$332,338 EMU reserves
The University is required by law to keep at least $200,000 in reserves. This money may be used for things like unexpected building repairs.
$315,843 Educational
Activities and University
Scheduling and Event Services
This office rents out rooms in the EMU to people in the community for different events. Students can reserve rooms for free, but will be charged if they need help with lighting, sound or staffing for their event.
$285,670 Club Sports
Club Sports is a conglomeration of different sports clubs.
$270,027 Craft Center
With the purchase of a $10 pass each term, students can use the Craft Center’s studios, located in the lower level of the EMU. The center also offers workshops throughout the year.
$230,040 Cultural Forum
The Cultural Forum is a student program board that brings music, films and other forms of entertainment and art to the University. darkwing.uoregon.edu/~cultural
$216,804 Outdoor Program
This office is open for students to come in and access wilderness maps, books, magazines and other free resources to help them plan and execute their outdoor expeditions. This program also hosts equipment swaps and a wide variety of outdoor group activities like rock climbing, nature walks, hiking, cycling, skiing and kayaking throughout the year. outdoorprogram.uoregon.edu
$26,918 Ticket Office
The Ticket Office provides tickets and information for the Hult Center for the Performing Arts, Cuthbert Amphitheater, WOW Hall, the Athletics Department, TicketsWest, and others. 541-346-4363
$18,012 EMU Board
Made up of students and EMU staff, this board makes decisions regarding EMU policies and long-range plans.
$1,327,252 Athletic Department Finance Committee
All of this money goes to pay for student tickets to football and men’s basketball games.