Elon University’s Student Government Association (SGA) is making significant changes to its financial bylaws, particularly around funding for student travel. Under the previous rules, SGA covered costs such as hotels, meals, and mileage for personal vehicles when students traveled for conferences and other off-campus events. However, these expenses will no longer be covered.
SGA Executive President Taylor Cote explained that since Elon students already pay $146 in student activity fees each semester, it is not equitable for those funds to be used to cover travel costs for other students.
“We just feel like it’s not the right way to use student activity fees,” Cote said.
Despite these changes, SGA will continue to cover registration fees, flights, and mileage for university vehicles. To help cover other expenses like hotels, Cote mentioned that SGA is looking into ways to help student organizations raise their own funding, including organizing fundraising workshops.
In addition to travel funding changes, SGA will also be adopting a new funding model. Starting June 1, 2025, funding requests will no longer be accepted on a rolling basis. Instead, the association will review requests on a quarterly schedule.
Each year, SGA operates with an $800,000 budget. If any funds remain unused, they are reallocated back into the budget of Vice President of Student Life Jon Dooley.
These updates are part of the annual review and adjustment of SGA’s financial bylaws, aimed at ensuring fair and efficient use of student activity fees.
