The Services and Activities Fee is a student levied, student distributed fee to support and enhance the out of class experience of students at the University of Washington Seattle. The Services and Activities Fee provides ongoing operational and capital funding for programs, which protect and enrich the cultural, emotional, intellectual, physical, and social well being of the student.
Created in 1973, The Services & Activities Fee Committee has been delivering on student demands for over 40 years. The Committee begins the process by meeting from November to June to develop an annual recommended operating and capital budget through a series of submitted reports, budget discussions with unit leaders and directors, and committee deliberations. The committee evaluates each unit’s individual operating request and weighs the needs against the demand & need of students across campus and the financial pressures of the collective student population while being mindful to avoid funding items that are covered by tuition, such as research or academics.
By the end of budget deliberations, the chair with support of their committee drafts a letter to the Board of Regents detailing how funds collected from the Services & Activities Fee should be spent. These recommendations are then presented concurrently with the recommendations from the Vice President & Provost for Student Life at the June Board of Regents Meeting. Once approved by the Board of Regents the Services and Activities Fee Budget and subsequent capital fees are implemented by the University Administration. As a model of shared governance, the SAF Committee is unable to allocate funding without the University Administration, nor is the University of Washington permitted to spend money without review and approval by the committee. Together, this partnership strengthens the University of Washington to respond to student needs and create institutions that address them.
SAF meets on Fridays at 13:00 in the HUB Board Room, HUB 303. All meetings are open to the public. Agendas are posted prior to meetings in the SAF Records Google Drive.
The Committee is composed of eleven annually appointed students, six from the Associated Students of the University of Washington and five from the Graduate Professional Student Senate. These eleven members are the only voting members of the committee and elect a Chair and a Vice-Chair from amongst their membership. The Committee also has two non-voting members appointed by the Faculty Senate and three non-voting member appointed by the University Administration.
In accordance with state law, the Associated Student of the University of Washington and the Graduate and Professional Student Senate submit nominations for student members to the University of Washington Administration. The Vice President for Student Life reviews and approves nominations, officially appointing students to the committee. Students on the committees represent the wide and diverse interests of all undergraduate and graduate students.
Peder Digre
University of Washington
Husky Union Building, Room 305B
4001 NE Stevens Way
Seattle, WA 98195