Student agencies, such as Spectrum: LGBTQ & Allies and Hispanic American Leadership Organization, are being distanced from Wichita State’s Student Government Association.
The state now classifies student governments as “quasi-governmental” because of their use of public funding. Like any other public institution, SGA must follow Kansas policy, including budget provisions requiring the removal of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and language.
Wichita State’s SGA leadership started working to make SGA compliant with the state proviso. Provisos are conditions placed on a budget. They aren’t laws, but they allow the state to remove or revoke funding if a certain state-funded department or institution doesn’t follow the condition.
One of SGA’s first actions was to remove student agencies from the student government umbrella and return them to student organization status. A bill making the change was introduced at the March 11 Student Senate meeting.
Here’s what’s changing
Student Body President Jia Wen Wang broke the news to the agency presidents at a monthly Agency Board of Directors meeting on March 6.
“They were just telling us that we will no longer be a part of the SGA, and that we will be our own independent (recognized student organization),” President of the Graduate Student Council Aishah Alhomsi said. “We’re still agencies, but we would just be independent of (SGA).”
The new designation reclassifies agencies as student organizations, now with an honorary agency title. Student organizations have historically been in a 3-tier system for funding from SGA, but a fourth tier is being added — the agency tier.
The agency tier allows for more funding through the appropriations process when recognized student organizations request funding from the student government.
Changing the agencies to student organizations removes the benefits of funding built into SGA’s budget and direct staff support through Student Engagement & Belonging. Each agency had a staff advisor from SEB who got paid to aid their designated agency. Staff members can still be advisors of the organizations, but only on a voluntary basis.
Spectrum’s faculty adviser plans to maintain the role, Spectrum: LGBTQ & Allies President Genesis Merriett said.
“So I do feel some comfort in knowing that we have had someone here for such a long time, from the before, the during and now going to be the after (being an agency),” Merriett said.
Agencies’ budgets were worked into SGA’s budget, which is created by the student body president and their cabinet. Now, agencies will have to apply for funding through the appropriations process, meaning funding is less of a guarantee.
“If we are fortunate next year and get the amount of funding that we request — or it is somewhat close to it — then (functions of Spectrum) should ultimately all work out the same,” Merriett said. “But now that that’s no longer a guarantee, we’re a little nervous about that.”
The president of another agency, the Shockers Vote! Coalition, Aniayah Dickinson, is also worried about appropriations, but said the group is looking into alternative funding options.
“I have talked to my adviser about these concerns, and she said that she’s looking into grant money and other options so we can pull funds from external sources,” Dickinson said.
Shockers Vote! is also looking at alternative options for paying executive members, since those members won’t be paid after the changes are made.
Agency presidents’ response
“I would definitely say it’s frustrating, especially since HALO has been around since like 1989, I think, and it’s been an agency for the past 6 years,” President of Hispanic American Leadership Organization Lorena Favela said. “From what I’ve seen of its history, we’ve been doing so well promoting that excellence for Latine students on campus.”
Favela made it clear that her frustration was with the Kansas legislature, not Wichita State’s SGA.
“SGA can only do so much for us, and the (Wang-Nguyen) administration is obviously advocating for its students and trying to protect the agencies as much as they can,” Favela said. “But it is just more of a state-level thing that we can’t really control.”
Alhomsi and Merriett shared similar sentiments.
“I think (SGA is) dealing with it in the best way possible that they can, and I think it was really smart of them to — instead of dissolving all the agencies and RSOs — they separated themselves from them instead,” Alhomsi said. “I think that was a good play of action.”
“I definitely think this is the best course of action, especially when the other option was to just completely abolish (the agencies),” Merriett said. “But I really just wish all of this had happened sooner, so that we had more time to really prepare.”
Dickinson said her agency, not being identity-based, has fewer conflicts with the state proviso.
“I was saddened to hear about it but not surprised,” Dickinson said. “I’m more concerned about the identity-based organizations because this is going to affect them on a much larger scale than it is Shockers Vote! because I believe that we can still carry out our missions given these changes.”
Favela also mentioned Wichita State’s proximity to becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution. To achieve HSI status, an institution must have 25% of enrolled students be Latinx, and WSU had nearly 20% in fall 2025.
“Wichita State is becoming an emerging HSI — or a Hispanic Serving Institution — and for its percentage of Hispanic students to continue rising throughout the years, I just find it frustrating that they’re doing such big changes,” Favela said.
“I put my trust in SGA,” Favela said. “I think they’re doing the best that they can, especially for the students that they serve. But regardless, it’s going to be frustrating either way.”
