Following Pipe Dream’s March 24 article we, the Student Association Executive Board, want to ensure that the student body has accurate information about the Student Association’s finances. With this letter, we want to provide important context and clarify our financial situation.

First, we want to note that the SA is not in debt. Debt, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is “a state of being under obligation to pay or repay someone or something in return for something received.” The SA does not actively owe an external entity any sums of money. Under the 2025 fiscal year 990 form from the SA, it is listed that we have $104,221 in accounts payable and $16,310 in secured mortgages and notes payable. The $104,221 in accounts payable are from student groups for outstanding invoices at the time of the filing that have since been paid. The $16,310 in secured mortgages refers to a loan from the University to one of our subsidiary organizations that has also since been paid in full.

The amount of liabilities at the time of filing is much smaller than the amount of assets held by the SA. So, rather than being “in debt,” the SA is operating in a deficit, meaning that within one fiscal year, our organizational expenses exceeded the revenues we brought in.

To maintain the SA’s status as a nonprofit organization, we have an obligation to the IRS to operate as close to financial net-neutral as possible. Therefore, the SA fluctuates between a surplus and a deficit, remaining overall neutral in profit. Just last year, the deficit decreased significantly from over $600,000 to around $140,000 — we expect this trend to continue.

Last year’s decrease is due to two main factors — an increase in the Student Activity Fee and a change in organizational operations that ensures we spend that funding in the most responsible way possible. The deficit the SA experienced in the 2025 fiscal year is not unique or out of the ordinary for student government organizations.

When looking at the other SUNY centers — University at Albany, Stony Brook University and University at Buffalo — each undergraduate student association operated in a deficit in the 2025 fiscal year — approximately $215,000, $226,000 and $595,000, respectively — all while having a greater Student Activity Fee.

Additionally, we would like to clarify statements in Pipe Dream’s article regarding Executive Board compensation and salaries. The Executive Board does not receive salaries — we receive stipends, which are determined by the Finance Committee of Student Congress. The executive branch does not allocate its own stipends, ensuring separation of powers. The only individuals in the SA who receive full-time salaries are our professional staff. These salaries are what our Vice President for Finance was referring to when discussing salaries in Pipe Dream’s aforementioned March 24 article.

Furthermore, the SA is proud to fund multiple businesses that provide student employment opportunities. Businesses like SA Ink, the Food Co-op and BSSL, are solely operated by students. Providing them with hourly wages through the Student Activity Fee allows students to gain leadership and work experience they would not otherwise have if the positions were not funded.

Additionally, the Executive Board receives a stipend because we are mandated by the SA Constitution to work at least 25 hours per week. This allows students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds to participate in advocacy and representation through the SA and furthers our goal of having an Executive Board that best represents the student body by eliminating barriers to these positions.

Ultimately, we, the SA Executive Board, want to ensure students do not walk into the SA elections today with a misunderstanding of where their Student Activity Fee funding goes. The funds generated from the Student Activity Fee go toward running Off Campus College Transport buses, Harpur’s Ferry, club sports, over 300 student-run organizations and more. We hope this clarification of the SA’s financial situation helps students make a more informed decision when voting on an increase to the Student Activity Fee today.

If you have any questions, feel free to stop by the Executive Board’s office hours, which are listed here.

The Student Association Executive Board is a group of student leaders elected to oversee the administration of the SA. 

A Letter to the Editor is an opinion column published in response to a column or article previously published. This is the Student Association Executive Board’s response to news coverage on 3/24 titled ”IRS filings reveal Student Association has over $140,000 deficit.” 

Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece that represents the view of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the staff editorial.