LETTER TO THE EDITOR BY KEEGAN TRIPP
As anyone who knows me can vouch, being in Student Government has been a defining part of my time at the University of Maine. What started as a simple desire to get involved became an unwavering commitment to student advocacy and leadership. Over the past two years, I’ve witnessed firsthand the tangible impact of the Student Activity Fee—a fee that truly does enhance the student experience.
Unlike other fees—like the Technology Fee or Infrastructure Fee that students understandably find frustrating—this is the good fee. Those other fees go straight to the University, funding aspects that, while important, often feel disconnected from student life. The Student Activity Fee is different—it goes back to students through our Student Government funding the events, clubs, organizations and opportunities that are major parts of campus culture. It sent our Men’s Club Rugby team to a national championship victory, funded new uniforms for the cheer team, provided discounted bus tickets to help students get home for the holidays and so much more. It enables student organizations to host events, brings people like Joe Gatto and Sammy Rae to campus and allows students—not administrators—to decide how these funds are spent.
Recently, however, our ability to fund these opportunities has been at the forefront of UMSG’s mind. As costs rise and more student organizations seek funding, we face a challenge that has been growing for years: we simply can not afford the support we used to provide. The first responsibility of UMSG is to ensure fair distribution of the Student Activity Fee. I take that responsibility seriously. As more student groups have been able to access UMSG resources, something I have worked hard toward on my end, there is no longer enough to fully fund requests. There is a give and take here—all student organizations deserve their fair share of these funds, but as that demand has increased, our budget has not.
This funding shortfall affects our Student Entertainment as well. Let me be candid: I know our concerts and events haven’t met everyone’s expectations. Our team has worked hard to secure talent that would excite and engage the campus, but the truth is that those artists are simply out of our price range. I also know we’ve had to say no a lot this semester, had to announce the sun setting of Movie Tickets and had to pull food trucks on Maine Day. It isn’t what we wanted, and to get them back does mean students will have to pay more—not ideal.
However, I also believe UMaine students deserve better —the kinds of concerts, shows and events that schools like the University of New Hampshire and the University of Connecticut regularly enjoy. Our club athletes have earned their place in tournaments and deserve to compete at national championships without fear around affordability. Students should be able to enjoy Free Movie Wednesdays all year, and multicultural, service and academic clubs should have the funding to attend their conferences and trips without financial barriers. All of that and more is why I’m writing today.
This year, a proposed $22 semesterly increase in the Student Activity Fee will appear on the Executive Election ballot. Of this increase, $1 would be allocated to WMEB (approximately $14,000 in total) to support student radio. The remaining $21 (approximately $320,000 in total) would be directed to UMSG to redistribute back to students. These additional funds would enhance campus life by supporting higher-quality concerts and events, expanding access to movie tickets and food trucks and increasing funding for all recognized student organizations, including sports clubs, with additional resources for gear, travel assistance and facility access. It’s critical that the entire student body has a voice in this decision—after all, it’s our money.
I urge you to vote in favor of this increase for all the reasons I’ve outlined and more. To be clear, I can and will continue to manage this organization on our current budget if that is the outcome. However, maintaining the current funding levels will inevitably mean more cuts, smaller concerts and events and reduced support for students. You deserve to fully understand the choice before you: this $22 increase is an investment in our campus experience—a chance to ensure that every student can continue to fully benefit from the opportunities beyond academics that make UMaine so special.
Regardless of how the vote goes, I trust this student body to make the right call.
