Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/boundvolumes/529bv.pdf
Page Number: 297.0

529US1

Unit: $U39

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BOARD OF REGENTS OF UNIV. OF WIS. SYSTEM
v. SOUTHWORTH
Opinion of the Court

§ 36.01(2). Some 30,000 undergraduate students and 10,000
graduate and professional students attend the University’s
Madison campus, ranking it among the Nation’s largest insti-
tutions of higher learning. Students come to the renowned
University from all 50 States and from 72 foreign countries.
Last year marked its 150th anniversary; and to celebrate its
distinguished history, the University sponsored a series of
research initiatives, campus forums and workshops, histori-
cal exhibits, and public lectures, all reafﬁrming its commit-
ment to explore the universe of knowledge and ideas.

The responsibility for governing the University of Wis-
consin System is vested by law with the board of regents.
§ 36.09(1). The same law empowers the students to share in
aspects of the University’s governance. One of those func-
tions is to administer the student activities fee program. By
statute the “[s]tudents in consultation with the chancellor
and subject to the ﬁnal conﬁrmation of the board [of regents]
shall have the responsibility for the disposition of those stu-
dent fees which constitute substantial support for campus
student activities.”
§ 36.09(5). The students do so, in large
measure, through their student government, called the As-
sociated Students of Madison (ASM), and various ASM
subcommittees. The program the University maintains to
support the extracurricular activities undertaken by many
of its student organizations is the subject of the present
controversy.

It seems that since its founding the University has re-
quired full-time students enrolled at its Madison campus to
pay a nonrefundable activity fee. App. 154. For the 1995–
1996 academic year, when this suit was commenced, the ac-
tivity fee amounted to $331.50 per year. The fee is segre-
gated from the University’s tuition charge. Once collected,
the activity fees are deposited by the University into the
accounts of the State of Wisconsin.
Id., at 9. The fees are
drawn upon by the University to support various campus
In the Uni-
services and extracurricular student activities.