ABSTRACT
A student activity fee (SAF) is a mandatory, nonrefundable charge levied on college or university students beyond the cost of tuition. SAF dollars are used for a number of purposes, including funding extracurricular activities such as intramural sports and supporting the many student organizations that are a part of the life of any institution of higher learning. The US Supreme Court first addressed the issue of mandatory student activity fees in Rosenberger v. University of Virginia, 515 US 819. A student at the university sought financing from the SAF fund for publication of a Christian magazine by Wide Awake Productions. The Rosenberger holding expanded the protection for student religious speech, and the Southworth decision rejected a compelled-speech challenge to a mandatory SAF system. Both decisions reaffirmed the use of a mandatory student activity fee system by public universities and colleges to promote a diverse marketplace of ideas.
