Western students & faculty filed into Old Main 340, and logged in at 3:30 p.m. via Zoom, on May 15 to speak out about the future of student-funded programs during the public comment portion of the Services and Activities (S&A) Fees Committee meeting.
The hearing allowed community members to share how S&A-funded programs, including student-run publications, athletics and the music department shape student life and academic success. Speakers emphasized what is at stake if funding falls even shorter.
Liam Pratt, Associated Students of Western Washington University President and student chairman of the S&A Fees Committee, emphasized the critical role these programs play in student life.
“S&A-funded programs are the lifeblood of this university,” Pratt said. “All student publications on campus, including The Front, are funded through S&A. Student Engagement, which together with student government provides support for clubs, KUGS, the Viking Union, etc. The music department, Outback Farm, Rec Center, and Centers, the gears of student participation at Western, are all funded through S&A.”
Student journalists from The Front, Klipsun and The Planet spoke about the professional experience they’ve gained while working in student media. Several described their publications as “found family,” a place to grow, collaborate and prepare for life after graduation.
Athletes described the years of dedication and training it took to reach the collegiate level. Music students emphasized the importance of funding for instruments, rehearsal spaces and performance opportunities that support their education.
Liz Binnington, a third-year music student and founder of the WWU Roots group, voiced concerns about limited access to basic resources in the music department.
“I’m most concerned without proper funding, we won’t be able to provide students with the instruments and the resources they need to succeed,” Binnington said. “Most students rely on the university to provide these instruments for them.”
According to Western’s proposed 2024-25 S&A Fee Budget, 36.26% of funds are set to go to the Associated Students, 32% to athletics and 17.31% to the Department Related Activities Committee, which includes student publications and the music department.
“It's not just about the money,” Binnigton said. “It's about the overall support from those higher up that ultimately makes the decisions for our programs.”
While the May 15 meeting centered on preserving program funding, the conversation shifted the following week to the future of how some of that funding is structured.
On May 22, the S&A Fee Committee reconvened in Viking Union 567 to review public comments and introduce a proposal from the athletics department to bring a new student fee to the table: $74 per quarter, starting in the fiscal year 2027, with an increase to $77 in 2028 that would be governed by an AS committee.
During questions, the athletics department recognized this fee is essential in keeping its five-year strategic plan viable, and noted most public universities already charge an athletics-specific student fee of a comparable amount.
This proposal sparked immediate concerns among the committee and attendees about affordability at Western, student equity and long-term precedent.
“Additionally, when so few people are directly impacted by this division of the university, it makes more sense (in my opinion) for the university to foot the bill, not students,” Pratt said.
Viking Union Room 567 at Western Washington University sits empty after hosting a student forum on the proposed athletics fee increase on May 22, 2025, in Bellingham, Wash. The meeting offered student representatives of the athletic department to propose this fee, and for others to express their opinions on the fee. // Photo by Hailey Brown
Much of the proposed fee would go toward paying down existing department debt– an expense Pratt said should not fall on the student body.
“I believe they need to lean full-force into their foundation fundraising team, and use any outside support they can get to make sure students aren’t footing the bill for a mistake that none of us are responsible for,” Pratt said.
As the committee finalizes its recommendations, student leaders are encouraging peers to stay informed and involved. All S&A fees meetings are open to the public, and students can attend and submit public comments or reach out directly to student government representatives.
“Student [publications] are a part of this process; they can publicize the meetings and encourage folks to show up,” said Pratt.
Hailey Brown (they/them) is a campus news reporter for The Front this quarter. They are a third-year visual journalism major with a minor in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. Outside the newsroom, you can find them taking too many photos, on the beach collecting sea glass, or with their nose in any book. You can reach them at haileybrown.thefront@gmail.com.
