Guidelines For Implementation Of Campus Fees Policy

For interpretation of this policy, Please contact: 
Office of the Vice President, Student Affairs, (909) 537-5185

The purpose of this policy is to implement Executive Order 1102, The California State University Student Fee Policy (attached). Executive Order 1102 implements current Trustee policy regarding Student Fees. 

Scope of Authority and Responsibility

The Board of Trustees of the California State University provides policy guidance for all matters pertaining to student fees and has the authority for the establishment, oversight and adjustment of Category I fees.

The Chancellor is delegated authority for the establishment, oversight and adjustment of Category II and Category III fees.

The President is delegated authority for the establishment, oversight and adjustment of Category IV and Category V fees.

The President is delegated the authority for the oversight and adjustment of Category II and Category III fees and for establishment of Category III fees within a range established by the Chancellor.

Campus Fee Advisory Committee

The President shall establish a Campus Fee Advisory Committee (CFAC).

• Membership

• Student Representatives
  • President of the Associated Students, Inc., or designee.
  • Six student representatives appointed by the Associate Students, Inc., of which at least one should be a graduate student and one from the Palm Dessert Campus. The total of seven students must be one more than the total of administrative, faculty, and staff representatives.
• Faculty Representatives
  • Faculty Senate Chair, or designee
  • One member of the Educational Policy and Resources Committee
• Administrative/ Staff RepresentativesFour administrative/ staff representatives nominated by area Vice Presidents and appointed by the President from the following functional units:
  • Division of Academic Affairs
  • Division of Administration and Finance
  • Division of Information Technology Services
  • Division of Student Affairs

• Committee Chair

• The Chair of the Faculty Senate, or designee, and the ASI President or designees will co-chair the Committee.

• Term of Office

• Appointed Committee members shall serve for two years, beginning at the start of the academic year in September.

• CFAC Duties

• The Committee will consider proposals for the establishment and adjustment of Category II or III fees and provide recommendations to the President. The President shall consult as appropriate with the ASI Board of Directors and the Faculty Senate concerning these recommendations.

In accordance with Executive Order 1102, adjusting or establishing a Category II fee normally requires a student referendum.

• For a specific Category II fee proposal, the Committee will recommend to the President and the President will determine whether a referendum is the best method of consultation or if an alternative method will better suit the campus. (State law requires a referendum for certain types of Category II fees.)
• If it is determined that a referendum is required, the Committee will follow established campus guidelines for participating in the conduct of the referendum in accordance with Executive Order 1102. The referendum shall be conducted by the campus or by the student body association.

The Committee will review the annual fee report provided by the Accounting Office.

The Committee will review and approve meeting minutes and annually review appropriate policies and forms.

The Accounting Office will provide staff support to assist with the preparation of agendas, minutes, and dissemination of information.

CFAC responsibilities include other duties as required by Executive Order 1102 or as assigned by the campus.

Procedures For Submittal Of Requests To Establish Or Adjust Campus Fees

• The requesting department will prepare a proposal that includes the following information: (Appropriate form, How to Submit a Fee Proposal, is available on the Accounting Office website.)
  • Purpose of the fee (Is this fee for a new requirement or an existing requirement that has been funded by other means?);
  • Why it should be charged or adjusted and the consequences of not doing so;
  • What other sources of revenue have been considered;
  • The amount of the fee or fee adjustment; and
  • A statement of revenues and expenditures including a minimum of one year of actual costs (for adjusting existing fees) and two years of projected revenue and expenditures for the fee revenue supported activity. This statement shall be reviewed by and verified by the Director of Accounting, or designee.
• The request will be submitted through proper channels, with all required documentation attached.
  • Category II fee requests are to be processed through the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and sent to CFAC@csusb.edu for submission to the committee. CFAC reviews Category II proposals, makes recommendations to the Provost or their designee. The Provost or their designee will present their recommendation to the President concerning each proposal and concerning appropriate means of consultation when there is an option, and participates in preparing appropriate referendum documentation when needed.
  • Course related fee requests (Category III) are to be processed through the Office of Academic Scheduling using forms provided by the Accounting Office and sent to CFAC@csusb.edu for submission to the committee. CFAC reviews Category III proposals and returns them to the Office of Academic Scheduling, with its recommendation to the Provost or their designee. The Provost or their designee will present their recommendation to the President on each proposal.
  • Category IV and Category V fee requests are to be processed through the office of the Vice President responsible for managing each specific fee and sent to the President for approval. E.O. 1102 does not require that Category IV and Category V fee requests be reviewed by CFAC, but it may do so upon presidential request and make recommendations to the President. The President will make a determination on Category IV and V fees after consideration of the revenue and expenditure plans associated with the fees and will then notify the fee advisory committee of his or her decision.

Accountability

• The Accounting Office shall provide to CFAC a report of all fees in Categories II, III, IV and V. This includes fee accounts administered by the Palm Desert Campus. New fees, fee increases, total revenue and unexpended balances should be specifically identified.
• The President has the authority to decrease, suspend or eliminate fees, except where prohibited by the Education Code.
• Each campus shall report annually to the Chancellor, for the most recently completed fiscal year, a complete inventory of all fees in categories II, III, IV, and V, including past year and current year fee rates, the total revenues collected for each fee, and the remaining balance for each fee. The CFAC shall receive a copy of this report.

Attachment 1 - Definitions of Fee Categories

• Category I fees - Systemwide mandatory fees that must be paid to apply to, enroll in, or attend the university, or to pay the full cost of instruction required of some students by statute.
• Category II fees - Campus mandatory fees that must be paid to enroll in or attend that campus.
• Category III fees - Fees associated with state-supported courses. Specifically for materials and services used in concert with the basic foundation of an academic course offering.
• Category IV fees - Fees, other than Category II or III fees, paid to receive materials, services, or for the use of facilities provided by the university; and fees or deposits to reimburse the university for additional costs resulting from dishonored payments, late submissions, or misuse of property or as a security or guaranty.
• Category V fees - Fees paid to self-support programs such as Extended Education, Parking and Housing including materials and services fees, user fees, fines, deposits.

Attachment 2- Miscellaneous Course Fee Policy

Policy Statement: Miscellaneous course fees are defined as fees collected for materials, services or use of facilities used in concert with the basic complement of supplies needed for state-supported instruction. Miscellaneous course fees can only be charged for the actual cost of providing exceptional instructional materials, services or use of an off-campus facility. Students must have the option of attaining the materials or services required through alternative means; however, in cases where such alternative means are unavailable, students cannot opt out of utilizing the required material or service and must pay the miscellaneous course fee.

The following rules apply when determining if miscellaneous course fees can be charged for exceptional materials or services in the classroom:

• Miscellaneous course fees can only be charged for the actual cost of the material, service or use of facility being provided.
• A miscellaneous course fee cannot be charged for the basic complement of classroom supplies and materials required for instruction. These include but are not limited to: chalk, erasers, paper clips, pointers, classroom instructional equipment such as projectors (slide, overhead, computer, etc.) and associated supplies (bulbs, transparencies, software, etc.), or any other supplies deemed necessary to equip the instructional space for courses.
• A miscellaneous course fee cannot be charged for the basic complement of laboratory supplies and instructional equipment necessary for classroom lab requirements identified in the course description. These include but are not limited to equipment, test tubes, work stations, computers or any supplies necessary to equip laboratory space to complement classroom course instruction.
• Administrative charges and inflationary factors cannot be added to miscellaneous course fees. Only the actual cost of the material, service or use of a facility can be charged.
• A miscellaneous course fee cannot be charged to fund the basic cost of instruction. Instructional costs are funded through marginal cost dollars, tuition fee revenue, and permanent base budget allocations.

$0- $150 -Fees that supplement the basic complement of classroom and laboratory instruction by providing materials and services that would otherwise be unavailable to students, and which allow students to meet the educational objectives of a given course.

$0- $3,000-Fees for courses that require field trips or travel off-campus in order to meet the educational objectives of a given course.