The Student Organization Resource Fee is a $14 mandatory but refundable fee assessed to all students each semester.

SORF Board is a 13-member body elected annually, consisting of eight student members, two of whom must be graduate or professional students; three faculty or staff members; one ex-officio member from University accounting; and an ex-officio member appointed by the vice chancellor for student affairs.

SORF Board candidates

Belinda Brouette, freshman, LAS

Brouette is involved in Students Improving Lives of Animals, Campus Vegetarian Society and Technological Frontier Society. She has not been on SORF Board before. An issue she thinks is important is the decrepit state of campus buildings. If elected, she hopes to better educate the student body about the SORF board.

Christina Chou, freshman, LAS

Chou is in the Taiwanese American Student Club, Covenant Fellowship Church, Community Justice group of Volunteer Illini Programs and Pre-Law Club. She has not been on SORF board before, but if elected, wants to make funds for the students more easily available. She wants to make the SORF application process less intimidating.

Jonathan Gonzalez, junior, LAS

Gonzalez is member of the ISS Appropriations Committee, Minority Association for Future Attorneys, Pre-Law Club and Phi Sigma Alpha. His greatest concerns are the rising cost of tuition and textbooks, recruitment of underrepresented minorities and funding for Lincoln Hall. He has never been on SORF Board. If elected, he wants to ensure a fair distribution of the student fees to RSOs and inform the students where their SORF fee is going.

Rachel Herdes, sophomore, LAS

Herdes is treasurer of the Phi Mu social sorority, Model United Nations and Emergency UIUC, as well as member of PHPS/Alpha Epsilon Delta and the Student Leadership Awards Committee for ISS. Her most important issues are rape and violence awareness, the student budget, and financing for RSOs. She has never been on SORF Board before. If elected, she says she wants to ensure that all RSOs are financed appropriately and that unbiased decisions are made.

Erwin Paderanga, junior, LAS

Paderanga is a member of the Philippine Student Association. He believes one of the most important issues is making the minority voice heard by administrative bodies like SORF. He has not been on SORF Board before. If elected, he wants to help organizations, especially minority organizations, make their voices heard and run programs needed to promote awareness and create a more multicultural campus.

Sejal Patel, junior, LAS

Patel is part of the Asian American Cultural Center Advisory Committee, Indian Student Association, International Impact, UIUC Bollywood Team, and UIUC Raas Team. She believes that some of the most important issues on campus are safety and racism. She has not been on SORF board before, but if elected, she wants to help more clubs get the financial backing they need to accomplish their goals.

Kristin Smith, graduate student

Smith has been on SORF board for a year and a half and has been the SORF chair for the last year. She believes the most important issue is to ensure that every student has access to participate in all aspects of the University. If elected, she wants to increase student awareness of SORF so more students will act through their RSOs to hold more events on campus.

Judith Tichacek, freshman, LAS

Tichacek has been in the English Rhetoric Club, Colleges Against Cancer and Illini Bowling Club. An important issue for her is the SORF fee because persuading students not to collect their $14 refund can make the difference between a club going to a conference or not. She has not been on SORF board before. If elected, she wants to try to increase funding in certain areas and help student organizations get the money they need.

Tina Wei, junior, LAS

Wei is conference committee chair of the Asian Pacific American Coalition, member of the SORF board and a LAS Student Senator. She is most concerned with the University’s use of student fees, needs for student programming and resources, and renovations for academic facilities. If elected she wants to ensure that SORF not only allocates funds to RSOs, but also equips RSOs with skills to receive the most resources from the University.