The number of student organizations on campus has skyrocketed from 400 clubs last year to a record 471 this year, presenting a problem on how to fund the groups.

The Student Association funding will plateau starting this fall because the last increase in SA fees has finally cycled through students. This means that money for student groups will decrease if the number of student organizations continues to rise.

In the past four years, funding for student organizations has steadily increased because of a previous increase in the student fee.

To compensate for the new student organizations without affecting existing and more established student groups, the SA should call for an increase in student fees.

Students pay $22.50 each semester to the Student Association to help put on events such as Spring Fling, Fall Fest, speaker events and sports games. To subsidize the increase in funding for student organizations, it would make sense to slightly raise this already small charge to benefit students by $5 per semester.

Incoming Student Association Finance Chair Alex Mizenko said with the current funding model, the only way to adequately fund new student organizations is to cut money to established organizations.

To pass a fee increase, there would have to be a vote in the Senate and a school-wide referendum.

Students should call on the Student Association to quickly move on this proposal, which represents students’ investment in their time at the University. The amount paid into the system will benefit students during the next year.

After all, the growing number of student organizations on campus is a good thing for student life.

Patrick Rochelle, a junior majoring in English, is a Hatchet columnist.