Being a student leader may take time, but at least the tuition is cheaper.

Many student leaders receive stipends from the University to help cover tuition costs. The Undergraduate Student Government president and the president of the Graduate Student Association both get the entire in-state tuition amount paid by the University, said Tom Eakin, assistant vice president for student programs. The USG vice president gets an 80 percent tuition stipend.

Six USG members receive stipends of various amounts from the University. Leaders of the other executive organizations, including GSA, Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council and the National Pan-Hellenic Council, also receive stipends.

About 25 students in all receive a stipend of some amount, Eakin said.

Stipends are given because student leaders put a lot of time into their offices and often can't hold jobs to earn money, Eakin said.

"Student leaders make a major contribution to this campus," Eakin said.

But some students disagree.

"It just doesn't seem like that much is done," said Tara Cunningham (sophomore-business logistics).

Student government leaders deserve something, but full tuition is excessive, she said.

And where does the money come from?

The money for the stipends comes from parking ticket fees, said Tom Poole, director of student activities. Using parking money for the stipends is a way of returning that money to students, Poole added.

Some universities give student government leaders far more than Penn State does, Eakin said. Student government positions are treated like paid internships at some schools, he said.

At Penn State, a review board of students and administrators decide stipend amounts, he said. Eakin usually chooses student leaders who are leaving office and will no longer benefit from the stipends to serve as student review board members, he added.

The stipend amounts were reviewed last spring, Eakin said, adding that the review takes place every two or three years.

IFC President Tim Finn currently gets 50 percent of in-state tuition paid by the University. IFC pays the other half with money from dues, Finn said.

Not everyone has enough money to be an officer without a stipend, Finn said, adding that he would have to work to pay his rent and wouldn't be able to do his job as IFC president without his stipend.

More students can be officers if they can worry less about money, he said.

"It helps out a lot," agreed USG President Mark Stewart, adding that he doesn't have time to hold a job and serve as president.

But other people are working hard in other organizations without receiving money from the University, Cunningham said, adding that student government leaders are being rewarded through their experience.

The stipends are fair only if those receiving them devote more time to student government than anything else, said Tom Fraticelli (sophomore-communications).