N Edward Coulson, Thesis Supervisor N Edward Coulson, Thesis Supervisor David Shapiro, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
econometrics student government UPUA Stata budgets student leadership student affairs economic analysis student fees government structures
Abstract:
This thesis details and analyses the effects of student activity fee changes, structural makeups, and psychological tendencies on changes in student government budgets. The data used to substantiate these findings was collected from University and Collegiate student governments throughout the United States. Before performing the analysis, I review the origins and evolutions of student governments, the economic reasoning for taxation and selection, and the general compositions of branches and positions within the government. This analysis draws conclusions that quantitative factors play at least some part in the increases and decreases of student government budgets. Furthermore, I draw conclusions that changes in the student activity fee, the structural differences in the governments, and the outlooks of the student leaders are correlated with percent changes in the amount of money under the control of the student government.
