UTRGV has collected $4,417,877 in student services fees for Fiscal Year 2025. However, the total funding requested by departments and organizations for FY 2025 is $5,519,045, a 24.92% difference.
Students pay up to $90 in student services fees per semester, which is $7.50 per hour capped at 12 credit hours.
The Student Fee Advisory Committee, which is in charge of reviewing funding requests and making allocation recommendations to UTRGV President Guy Bailey, has heard 11 of 69 requests from departments or organizations.
Projected fees are based on enrollment. UTRGV’s enrollment for Fall 2023 was 31,931.
During its March 1 meeting, the committee listened to three departmental requests: the Center for Student Involvement, Student Success Graduate Initiatives and Chess.
Combined, the departments are asking for$1,431,906.
The Center for Student Involvement is requesting $811,868 for FY 2025. This academic year it received $781,713.
CSI supports cultural heritage months, Involvement Ambassadors, Student Organizations and the Tradition Keepers program.
Ashley Guzman, Center for Student Involvement program coordinator, said the center recently launched the Tradition Keepers program.
“We collaborated with 18 departments to create the inaugural traditions list, which includes 62 activities that represent our academic, cultural and social landscape through monthly spotlights,” Guzman said.
Delma Olivarez, associate dean for Student Involvement, said the Center for Student Involvement is requesting a wage increase of $11,517 to support 24 student employees who help the center with events and activities.
Olivarez also requested an increase of $8,378 in the operating budget that will be specifically used for V Link.
The Student Success Grad Initiative is asking for $59,200 for FY 2025. Peter-James Ehimika, Student Success program manager, said the idea behind Countdown to Graduate workshops is to ensure students have everything they need in order to graduate.
During each workshop, students hear presentations from Degree Audit Systems and Support, Office of the University Registrar, Graduation Help Desk, Career Center, Alumni and Friends, among others.
Ehimika said the Student Success Graduate Initiative currently does not have its own budget to operate.
Chess is requesting $560,838 for FY 2025. This fiscal year it received $537,827.
Bartek Macieja, Chess coach, presented the team’s accomplishments to the committee. The funds requested will be used to hire two full-time employees, scholarships for internationally titled players and travel expenses.
Members of the Student Fee Advisory Committee include Rebecca Gadson, SFAC chair and associate dean of Policy Management and director of Residence Life; student representatives Odalys Saenz, Dalia Mendoza, Natasha Quailes and Andrea Maldonado; and University Representatives Marcela Deleon, Erica Giles, Rene Layton and Hossein Shirvani.
Among the requests for next fiscal year, the UTRGV Pep Band is asking for $81,000, the same amount as the current year; the Center of Excellence in STEM is asking for $75,900, an increase of $34,296 over the current year; and the Sustainable Campus Community Initiative is asking for $46,758, an increase of $15,920 over the current year.
For more information, visit utrgv.edu/sfac.
