Enrollment is expected to go down in the next year, and in order to compensate for loss in revenue Student Senate will have to make budget cuts to some student groups and organizations.

Typically, each semester there is a decrease in students, said Bill Sommers, associate vice president of enrollment management. It is expected that 306 fewer full-time undergraduate students will come to Shippensburg University this fall, according to Darrell Miller, student association fiscal officer. Enrollment also projects that 81 fewer students will arrive in the following spring.

However, this trend is not unusual. In the fall of 2013, there were 263 fewer students, according to Miller. In the spring of 2014, there were 315 fewer students. These numbers are subject to change over time and serve as an early indication of future enrollment.

The problem is not bringing students to the university. There are simply fewer students graduating from high school and attending college. This affects other Pennsylvania universities as well.

“We’re all feeling the challenges,” Sommers said.

If there are fewer students, that means less money for the university. Because of that, Student Senate cannot fund at current levels.

“If I have $10 but you’re spending $15, something’s going to have to change,” Justin Schneider, treasurer-elect of senate, said.

Student Senate funds student organizations, part of the Ceddia Union Building, athletics and more, Schneider said. Altogether, that is about $4 million.

In order to compensate for the drop in students last year, senate chose to increase the student activities fee from $255 to $264, according to Miller. Since the activities fee has been increased in the past few years, administration advised Student Senate to try another method instead for this year.

Fortunately, senate has a reserve fund of about $1.5 million to dip into. But it is not as simple as pulling money from your savings account at the bank.

About $800,000 of the reserve fund needs to be preserved. This is in case the company that funds the bookstore, Follett, decides to pull out. At any time, Follett can choose to leave SU, but the company must give 120 days notice, according to Miller and Schneider. If Follett were to leave, Student Senate would need to restock the bookstore.

That leaves about $245,000 to take from reserves, which Student Senate plans to use. In addition to pulling from reserves, some cuts to organizations will have to be made, Miller said.

“Everyone has to compromise, especially if you don’t want the activity fee to go up,” Miller said.

Right now, the budget and finance committee of senate is going through budget paperwork, deciding where to make cuts. The final budget needs to be completed by April 23. It must be approved by SU President George “Jody” Harpster, and receive majority approval from the full senate.

The idea is to find organizations, including Student Senate, that are not spending a lot of their budget and cut in places where there is some wiggle room, Schneider said.

Completed budgets will be sent to the treasurers of student organizations. Student Senate will try to communicate with groups if there are substantial cuts, Miller said.

Miller and Student Senate adviser, Ann Wendle, advises the budget and finance committee. Roger Serr, vice president of student affairs, also has some input on the committee.

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