UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The student-run University Park Fee Board (UPFB) has announced a new budget initiative designed to address financial challenges, enhance student support services, and promote responsible, long-term fiscal management of the Student Initiated Fee at Penn State's University Park campus.

The Student Initiated Fee funds activities, programs, facilities, recreation and student basic needs and services to improve student life at Penn State. The UPFB oversees the allocation and distribution of fee monies at the University Park campus.

The Student Needs-Based Budget model, a result of extensive collaboration and data-driven strategy, will work to align funding decisions with the values of the UPFB and the diverse needs of the student community at Penn State. Critical to the new budget model is an alignment with the board’s mission to elevate the collective welfare of the student community at University Park. Transcending traditional budgetary constraints, the model will work to support and elevate student services and programs that encourage well-being and academic excellence.

Key goals

The foundation of the budget model is built on key goals designed to create a supportive, enriching and inclusive university community.

• Secure basic needs for all students: Emphasize the importance of a supportive environment for students with access to essential resources for academic and personal success.
• Ensure a sustainable future at University Park: Commit to supporting environmental sustainability both on and beyond the University Park campus and foster a culture of stewardship and long-term ecological responsibility.
• Strengthen infrastructure and facilities: Invest in the continuous improvement of campus spaces to enhance the overall quality of the student experience.
• Enhance recreation and entertainment: Ensure student access to diverse and enriching cultural and recreational opportunities to contribute to holistic well-being.
• Promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging: Support initiatives that cultivate an inclusive and equitable campus culture where diversity is both recognized and celebrated.
• Encouraging student programming and involvement: Advocate and encourage active student participation in a range of programs and initiatives that foster leadership and professional development.
• Empowering student government and student voices: Support and empower student-run organizations and governments by providing the resources and platforms needed to effectively represent and advocate for their peers.

Strategic priorities

The budget model is structured around four key priorities:

• Addressing critical staffing needs: Recognizing the importance of quality staff and their impact on the student experience, the model seeks to address staffing deficits to ensure optimal student support and service.
• Increase student wages: Acknowledge the essential role student workers hold in campus life and operations and aim to increase student staff wages and support fair compensation.
• Enhance the student experience through facilities and infrastructure development: Emphasize the development and improvement of student-focused faculties and infrastructure to create an environment conductive to learning, growth and well-being.
• Transform Programming Funds: Categorize funds related to speakers, performances, general events and other miscellaneous resources funding is provided for as "strategic engagement funds," allowing the UPFB to analyze programming and identify opportunities for cost-sharing and collaboration between units and organizations.

Measuring success

The incorporation of metrics in decision-making signifies a shift toward a student-centric approach that emphasizes collaboration, cost-sharing and marketing effectiveness. These metrics ensure optimized resource allocation and the ability to understand the nuance of student needs.

Ensuring budget reduction

The UPFB oversees the appropriation of over 30 million dollars of Student Initiated Fee monies annually. While the UPFB currently has reserves in excess of 50 million, the budget model will work to address any gaps in fee income and allocations to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability. This includes moving to a two-year budget cycle that aligns with Penn State, implementing budget reductions to create a more balanced spending approach, increasing transparency for the community, and implementing strategic fee increases while using reserve funds to ease the transition.

Implementation impacts for fiscal year 2026

The new student needs-based budget model will be considered when deliberating fiscal year 2026 fee requests. Requests for new fee funding, standing fee appropriations, and facility support are available on the Student Fee Board website. The deadline for submissions is March 8.

About the University Park Fee Board

Additional information about the University Park Fee Board is available at studentfee.psu.edu. In partnership with Student Affairs, the UPFB advances student life, while acting in the best interest of present and future students.