GUIDLINES FOR ESTABLISHING AND ADJUSTING
STUDENT FEES
The following guidelines govern the establishment and adjustment of all fees charged to the students of CSU, Sacramento. These guidelines have been developed under the authority granted by Executive Order 740.
DEFINITION OF THE TYPES OF FEES
Category I : Those fees that must be paid by all students to apply to, enroll in or attend the university.
Category II : Those fees required by statute that must be paid by some students to pay the full cost of instruction.
Category III : Those fees that must be paid by some students receive materials, services or for the use of facilities or to enroll in a course offered through a self-support instructional program.
Category IV : Those fees charged to reimburse the University for additional costs incurred by student actions.
Financial Aid Set Aside : One-third of the income resulting from fees established or increased under the authority of Executive Order 661 must be set aside in local financial aid programs defined by institutional policy. The exceptions to this requirement are those relevant fees that have been reduced by order of the President under the authority of Executive Order 740.
AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH AND ADJUST FEES
Board of Trustees : Define policy and establish or adjust fees defined as Category I or Category II.
Chancellor : Establish new Category III or Category IV fees.
President : Adjust or abolish existing Category III or Category IV fees.
WHERE FEES ARE DEPOSITED
General Fund Reimbursement : Income resulting from fees that must be paid by those affected students will be deposited as a reimbursement to the General Fund. This means there is no alternative for the student to obtain the materials or receiving the service other than to paying the fee.
Trust Revenue : Income resulting from fees that may be paid by those affected students will be deposited as revenue in the CSU Trust Fund. Alternatively, those students may provide their own materials or services.
Financial Aid Set Aside : All income resulting from the one-third financial aid set aside for mandatory fees will be deposited as revenue in the CSU Trust Fund. These funds will be recorded in the CSU Trust Fund regardless of where the rest of the fee is deposited.
PROCESS FOR ESTABLISHING OR ADJUSTING STUDENT FEES
- Individuals or groups seeking to establish or adjust a student fee shall submit a request to the Associate Vice President for Finance. The request shall include the following information.
- The name, telephone extension and campus zip code of the individual making/sponsoring the request
- The proposed name of the fee or the course the fee will support.
- The category under which this fee will be defined.
- The proposed amount of the fee on a semester basis.
- Whether the income from this fee will be considered a General Fund Reimbursement or Trust Revenue as defined in these guidelines.
- The anticipated income during the first year of fee collection.
- The anticipated expenses during the first year of fee collection.
- A description of services or materials to be acquired with fee income. Include any explanation of unused fee income during the first year of fee collection.
- The reasons the services or materials cannot by acquired with other financial resources available to the unit requesting the fee.
- The benefits to the students who are paying the fee. Include a brief description of the alternative to not approving the requested action.
- Requests to establish or increase fees charged of the student body at large must be submitted to the student body in the form of a referendum. In these cases, the proposal must include the exact ballot language that will appear on the referendum ballot and how the referendum will be funded.
- Proposals from academic units must include approvals of the Department Chair, the College Dean and the Provost.
- Proposals from administrative units must include approvals of the Director and/or Department Head and the appropriate Vice President.
- Proposals from student body organizations must include approvals of the governing board and the Vice President for Student Affairs.
2. The Associate Vice President shall review the request and forward it to the Student Fee Advisory Committee [SFAC] for consultation and advice. The Associate Vice President may provide the SFAC with comments as necessary.
3. The SFAC shall review the request, giving consideration to the rationale for establishing or adjusting the fee. The SFAC may, in some instances, require additional information or clarification and may contact the individual or group making the proposal. The SFAC, on conclusion of their review, shall advise the President on the proposed fee action according to appropriate University and Trustee policy and applicable regulations. The Associate Vice President shall forward the SFAC recommendation to the President with any comments from individual committee members.
4. If the President determines there is a need for the proposed fee action, the President shall either call for a referendum or accept the approved alternative means of consultation.
5. The results of a student fee referendum shall be considered "favorable" when a majority of students voting on the referendum approve the fee action. The results of the alternative means of consultation shall be considered "favorable" when the SFAC approves the fee action.
6. The President shall take under advisement the results of the referendum or alternative means of consultation and SFAC review. If the President determines a new student fee is warranted, regardless of its category classification, the proposal will be forwarded to the Chancellor for approval. Any adjustment to existing student fees requires only the President's approval.
7. The Associate Vice President for Finance shall advise the unit of the final decisions concerning their request. This advisement will include the effective date of the new or increased fee or reasons the requested action was not approved. Notification will also be sent to the SFAC for informational purposes.
