Madison Kwiecinski – Editor-in-Chief 

Mvk5945@psu.edu

The Student Facility Fee, initiated at Penn State Behrend by students back in 2008, is a source of funding for improvement projects across the campus. Most notably and most recently, the Student Facility Fee helped to fund the costs of the Erie Hall renovations. 

The Student Facility Fee, also known as the SFF, focuses on projects students decide to prioritize. Each new project is supposed to be chosen based on surveys, open forums, and other methods of getting student input. 

Some recent examples of campus improvements include: “The Galley convenience store, a state-of-the-art theater, a comprehensive information hub, and an updated student lounge area in the Reed Union Building,” reads Behrends SFF page. 

Other projects also include the monument to Mary Behrend which can be seen when walking on campus before reaching the Science Complex. This monument was a student-driven project to honor Mary Behrend for donating the Glenhill Farm estate where the Behrend campus now rests. 

Another area many students have spent time on campus that they may not know was funded by the SFF is the Ben Lane Plaza. The Ben Lane Plaza is the outdoor seating area outside of Bruno’s in front of the Reed Union Building. Also, all of the new lounge furniture inside the Kochel Center was a result of the SFF. 

The water bottle-compatible hydration stations around campus as well as the updated RUB Desk help center and the lights of the Soccer Field are all additional projects the student fee has funded to improve student life on campus. 

Where does all of this money come from? Every full-time Penn State Behrend student is required to pay $124 per semester towards the fee, which is then put away for these campus improvement projects. The Penn State Behrend Board of Trustees determines the price of the SFF and whether or not it is to be increased. For part-time students, the fee is prorated based on the number of credits being taken 

For a project to receive funding, “The Student Facility Fee Committee recommends a project to the Chancellor,” reads the SFF website. “The Chancellor accepts the recommendation, and the Vice President of Student Affairs and the Vice President for Finance and Business approve.” 

The SFF Committee is co-chaired by the Director of Student Affairs and the Student Government Association President and includes four other student members that hold voting authority. 

Erie Hall, arguably the largest project the SFF has taken on, received 40 percent of its total funding from this fee, and will be a major recreational building on campus for students to take advantage of. It not only includes incredible facilities for exercising your physical health, but the building is also taking a new approach, combining mental and physical health in the same building. For this reason, Personal Counseling is in the new Erie Hall as well. 

However, now that Erie Hall is built and open for student use, it is time to determine what the next SFF project will be. The SFF Committee is hoping to gain student feedback through a variety of events this week meant to encourage students to fill out the SFF survey. 

On Feb. 13, a breakfast sandwich bar was hosted in the Reed Union Building from 9-11 a.m. On Tuesday, a mac and cheese bar was scheduled in Bruno’s Fishbowl from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 

On Wednesday, Feb. 15, a dessert bar will be hosted at the Burke Fundraising tables from 1-3:00 p.m. Additionally, protein bars are available in Erie Hall this week for any student who fills out the SFF survey. If you have the chance, take the survey and make sure your input is included in the future planning of Penn State Behrend.