The Act stipulates that expenditure of SSAF revenue must relate to the provision of the following services:

1. Providing food or drink to students on an SCU campus
2. Supporting sporting or other recreational activities by students
3. Supporting the administration of a club most of whose members are students
4. Caring for children of students
5. Providing legal services to students
6. Promoting the health or welfare of students
7. Helping students secure accommodation
8. Helping students obtain employment or advice on careers
9. Helping students with their financial affairs
10. Helping students obtain insurance against personal accidents
11. Supporting debating by students
12. Providing libraries and reading rooms (other than those provided for academic purposes) for students
13. Supporting an artistic activity by students
14. Supporting the production and dissemination to students of media whose content is provided by students
15. Helping students develop skills for study, by means other than undertaking courses of study in which they are enrolled
16. Advising on matters arising from SCU Rules
17. Advocating students’ interests in matters relating to SCU rules
18. Giving students information to help them in their orientation
19. Helping overseas students relating to their welfare, accommodation and employment

The above services can be delivered by the provider or by a third party on behalf of the provider. Allowable expenditure related to the provision of the above services includes:

• Expenditure by the higher education provider in directly providing the service;
• Expenditure in engaging a third party to deliver the service; and
• Expenditure by the provider on infrastructure for the provision of the service.

In 2012 the Services and Amenities Fee will not be charged to international students (whether based onshore or offshore).

All other students will be charged unless they are in one of the following exemption categories:

• Studying the SCU Head-Start program
• Studying the Preparing for Success program
• Incoming Cross-Institutional student
• English language courses students
• Incarcerated students

On-campus locations are: Coffs Harbour, Gold Coast – Beachside, Lismore, National Marine Science Centre, Tweed Heads – Lakeside and Tweed Heads – Riverside.

Off-campus locations are: All other locations including University-wide (distance education).

You may either pay your SA Fees directly to the University or if you are eligible you may complete an SA-HELP form to defer them to the Australian taxation Office. For more detail about each option, click on a heading below. Please be aware that no refund or remission of the Services and Amenities fee is available if you withdraw from your units after census date.

In March 2012, students were invited to complete an online survey designed to allow Southern Cross University to better understand the overall student spending priorities for the income generated by the Services and Amenities fee. We asked a lot of demographic questions to find out if there were any significant differences between the spending priorities of different student groups and, as you will see from the results, this has allowed SCU to hear your voice very clearly and to understand that you share many of the same concerns. The following three documents are available for download:

1. Spending Allocation Summary (PDF)
   This document provides a breakdown of student spending priorities by demographic group.
   
2. SAAF Heat map by demographic group (PDF)
   This document plots the spending priorities of each demographic group on a single page to gain an overview of the spending priorities of different student groups.
   
3. Analysis of Verbatim Comments (PDF)
   The survey company classified all verbatim comments into a number of key themes. This document provides a summary of those key themes by demographic group.

In the next month, the University will prepare the proportional spending allocations we propose for the funds. Your spending priorities will be an important input into those decisions — as will the areas of legislative compliance that we must take into consideration, such as advocacy services.

It is important to us that all students gain a tangible benefit from the introduction of this fee and we will ensure that you are given the opportunity to feedback your comments and opinions about any spending decisions taken.