The Central Student Government has an annual budget of roughly $800,000. This money is spent on programming, operations, a graduate childcare subsidy, and student organization funding. This page serves as a bank of Frequently Asked Questions regarding CSG’s finances.

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Where does CSG’s money come from?

The bulk of CSG’s money comes from a semesterly student fee of $9.19, of which CSG  receives $7.82. $1.37 goes toward University childcare costs through the Office of Financial Aid. Its revenues are heavily dependent on enrollment levels. If enrollment drops, CSG’s revenues drop.

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Where does CSG’s money get spent?

CSG’s largest account is, by far, the Student Organization Funding Committee (SOFC) account. Student organizations can apply for SOFC to cover expenses for various events and activities on a reimbursement basis. This helps hundreds of student organizations hold costs down for their members.

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CSG also holds money in discretionary accounts that it can use to fund events or services. In previous years, CSG used these accounts to pay for the pilot of the Night Owl bus route, the Under the Lights tailgate, the expansion of the IM Building hours, various water bottle refill stations around campus, early dining hall hours on game days, and several other student-run events. Some money goes towards CSG’s operations — think printing costs and office supplies.

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Do the CSG officers make any money from these fees?

Under the provisions of A.R. 9-015, CSG members are entitled to compensation based on economic need as determined by Pell Grant eligibility. A CSG position can demand as much time as a part-time or full-time job, which in the past has made it difficult or impossible for many students to participate in CSG with the burdens of classwork and living in Ann Arbor. This new policy is intended to allow a more diverse body of students to participate in CSG, representing  more accurately the student body as a whole.

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What is the student government fee at our peer institutions?

It is a little difficult to compare fees across institutions, since each uses fees slightly differently. In any case, though, Michigan has one of the lowest student government fees in the country. The most comparable, Michigan State University, currently has an $18.00 student government fee.