ºÚÁÏÉçÇø

General Principles for Establishing Special Purpose Fees, Service Charges and Fines

The following general principles govern the establishment of new special purpose fees, service charges and fines or changes to existing special purpose fees, service charges and fines.

• Instructional fees are expected to cover all routine costs associated with a program and General fees are expected to cover noninstructional services, including locally financed ºÚÁÏÉçÇø services used to the benefit of enrolled ºÚÁÏÉçÇøs. Instructional and general fees are assessed uniformly to enrolled ºÚÁÏÉçÇøs. Any additional special purpose fee, service charge or fine must be to cover extraordinary costs or items that fall outside the traditional materials and services covered by instructional and general fees.
• Special purpose fees, services charges and fines are to recover costs when there is no other established financing source for that But, special purpose fees, service charges and fines are not to be created and assessed when the funds provided are viewed as insufficient.
• Special purpose fees, services charges and fines must be set based on the cost of the activity/service for which the fee is levied.
• Special purpose fees, services charges and fines must be used to support the activity/service being provided by the fee and are to be separately accounted for by the responsible unit or department.
• A consultation process with impacted ºÚÁÏÉçÇøs prior to requesting the special purpose fee, service charge or fine is encouraged where appropriate.
• If waivers are permitted, a fee waiver policy must exist and be included and approved as part of the fee Documentation supporting waivers must be maintained by the department for audit purposes. The university fee waiver is not applicable to anything but the instructional fee.

Categories of Special Purpose Fees, Service Charges and Fines

Special Purpose Fees Supporting Academic courses or labs

These fees are to cover items that fall outside the traditional materials, handouts and services covered by tuition. These fees are defined as charges in addition to the regular instructional fee (tuition).

Academic course fees are assessed by the campus to all ºÚÁÏÉçÇøs in a particular course. The fees must be identified in the appropriate Registrar’s Office materials in advance of registration for the term in which the fee is assessed.

In general, ºÚÁÏÉçÇøs are to be charged a course fee only for those items which would not reasonably be included in instructional fees. Course fees, when approved, must be used solely for support of the courses involved. All units must administer the fee funds in a manner that provides the ºÚÁÏÉçÇøs paying such fees a reasonable opportunity to benefit equitably from the expenditure of the fee funds. Difficulty in securing adequate regular budget support is not a basis for the course fee.

Course fees will be billed to a ºÚÁÏÉçÇø’s account through the bursar system. Collection of fees in the classroom or department is not allowed. The fees assessed by the university must be deposited to and expended from university accounts to support the activity/service being provided by the fee. The fee revenue will be credited to the approved account at the time the fee is charged to the ºÚÁÏÉçÇø accounts. Separate accounts for such fees is encouraged.

Allowable Examples:

1. For materials that result in a tangible product that is retained by the ºÚÁÏÉçÇø in a credit course.
2. For equipment that is purchased for and retained by the ºÚÁÏÉçÇø after the course is completed.
3. For maintenance, depreciation, and expenses related to the use of extraordinary university equipment and facilities, or for costs incurred by departments when instruction requires use of facilities or services the department does not control.
4. For private lessons in vocal or instrumental music to all non-music major ºÚÁÏÉçÇøs enrolled. This fee may also be assessed to music majors who elect to take additional lessons beyond the major degree requirements.

Prohibited Examples:

1. For typical duplicated instructional handout materials, course materials that can be provided online, or for textbooks and supplies that are readily available to ºÚÁÏÉçÇøs.
2. For computer and other laboratory equipment usage, primary software, maintenance and related supplies, used by all ºÚÁÏÉçÇøs and remaining with the college or department except in the case of computer labs and software not funded through the campus-wide technology fee.
3. As a supplement for covering the cost of compensation for the instructor; course fees are appropriate for other compensation costs such as studio models.

Special Purpose Fees for Premium Academic Programming

In certain circumstances it may be appropriate to levy a premium charge for an academic course or program for reasons other than the general principles for course fees enumerated in this policy. In such a situation a thorough assessment of the need for the fee, the marketability of the fee, and the fee’s impact on ºÚÁÏÉçÇøs will be conducted. A business plan evaluating the revenue to be generated and the expenditures to be funded by the fee will be prepared and approved by the Provost, the Vice President for Finance, and the President before the fee is proposed to the Board of Trustees.

Service Charges

Service charges are levied to recover the costs for goods and services. When assessed more than just incidentally to ºÚÁÏÉçÇøs, service charges must be submitted and approved through the miscellaneous fee ordinance process. These include admissions, registration, graduation, career planning, ºÚÁÏÉçÇø or community engagement, recreation, bursar, library, parking , and day care. Event, facility rental and miscellaneous auxiliary fees not previously described are not subject to the miscellaneous fee ordinance even when primarily assessed to ºÚÁÏÉçÇøs.

Fines

Fines may be charged to offset the direct and indirect impacts attributable to the the misuse of university property or services.

Procedures for Approving or Increasing a Special Purpose Fee, Service Charge or Fine

The following procedures are designed to ensure that appropriate approvals are obtained and accurate records are maintained for all fees assessed.

Procedures

1. The academic or administrative unit requesting the special purpose fee, service charge or fine must complete the Miscellaneous Fee Proposal Form, which can be found online on the University Budget Office The form shall contain:
   • A description of the purpose of the proposed special purpose fee, service charge or fine, or reason for modification of existing special purpose fee, service charge or fine.
   • Estimated revenue to be generated by the new special purpose fee, service charge or fine including details and calculations.
   • Estimated expenses associated with the special purpose fee, service charge or fine including details and calculations.
2. The requestor must obtain approval signatures from the department chair, business unit/division manager or dean, and vice president/provost.
3. The fee proposal form is submitted to the University Budget Office.
4. The University Budget Office will review the proposal for compliance with guidelines/criteria, determine appropriate fund and account information, review budget impact and make a recommendation to the Vice President for Finance and Business Services.
5. The Vice President for Finance and Business Services will review the proposal and the Budget Office’s recommendation and will approve/disapprove the If the fee is a Non- Academic special purpose fee, service charge, or fine, this will be the final approval step.
6. Academic Miscellaneous special purpose fees, service charges and fines supporting or relating to academic programming approved by the Vice President of Finance and Business Services will be included in the Miscellaneous Fee Ordinance presented at the Spring Finance and Audit Committee meeting for review and approval.
7. The Miscellaneous Fee Ordinance approved by the Finance and Audit Committee is then referred to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
8. The University Budget office will notify the requesting unit, General Accounting, and the Office of the Bursar of the fee proposal decisions.
9. The approved Miscellaneous Fee Ordinance will be posted on the University Budget’s website.
10. Fee changes/additions will be effective the following academic year.

A new fee or modification to an existing fee that needs to be implemented mid-year may be approved by the Vice President of Finance and Business Services on behalf of the Board of Trustees. The new fee or modification will be reflected in the Miscellaneous Fee Ordinance at the next annual review and approval by the Finance and Audit Committee and Board of Trustees.

Procedures for Eliminating, Suspending, Decreasing, or Transferring an Existing Special Purpose Fee, Service Charge or Fine

An existing special purpose fee, service charge or fine can be eliminated, suspended, or decreased by notifying the University Budget Office via email, along with the appropriate electronic signatures.

Appropriate electronic signatures can be obtained by forward the request to the approver who would then forward on to the Budget Office, or by copying the approver on the submitted request to the Budget Office. The email must include the fee name or description, the course ID (if applicable), and the date or term the special purpose fee, service charge or fine is to be eliminated, suspended, or decreased.

A special purpose fee, service charge or fine that is suspended or decreased may be reinstated to its original approved rate by notifying the University Budget Office via email, along with the appropriate electronic signatures. The email must include the fee name or description, the course ID (if applicable), and the date or term the special purpose fee, service charge or fine is to be reinstated to its original approved rate.

A special purpose fees supporting a course may be transferred to a newly numbered course provided the course number change has been approved by the University Senate and Provost. A course fee that is to be transferred should be communicated to the University Budget Office via email upon the approval of the course number change by the University Senate and Provost.