This letter is in response to Timothy Ulrich's concerns about the student activity fee ("Reader questions reason for student activity charge," Jan. 18). He claims that Penn State "nickel-and-dimes its students to death." When you look at other universities, particularly those in the Big Ten, Penn State is one of a few that makes a conscious effort to have few fees and keep those fees low. Penn State has one of the lowest student activity fees in the Big Ten and has one other "tack on" fee, the technology fee. Each year, the Student Activity Fee Board, which includes many student leaders, makes a recommendation on the cost of the fee to President Spanier, based on students' needs, while trying to keep the fee as low as possible. Your student activity fee goes to a variety of opportunities on campus like the fitness passes, IM sports, student tickets at concerts and shows, and much more. In the past year, Penn State conducted a study to assess what we need to do to support recreation on campus, and your student leaders are meeting with administrators to discuss that right now. As for varsity athletics, they are run like a business, yet they make efforts to accommodate students as well, like free tickets distributed for Saturday's basketball game (although not actually funded by student activity fee money). I hope everyone, takes advantage of the student activity fee, and I'm sure you will get more than your money's worth.