Policy 3-8 Rev 6
Date October 1, 2005
Subject: SPECIAL STUDENT COURSE FEES AND OTHER ASSESSMENTS
I. PURPOSE
To assure proper handling of special course fees and other assessments that may be required in addition to regular tuition charges approved by the Board of Regents.
II. REFERENCE
Policy and Procedures No. 5-12, Key Policy
III. DEFINITIONS
A. Key Deposit - A deposit made by a student to whom a key is issued under the Key Policy (Policy and Procedures No. 5-12), subject to refund upon return of the key by the student.
B. Breakage Fees - Amounts deposited by students enrolled in laboratory or other courses that employ specialized equipment to create a reserve from which damaged or lost equipment may be repaired or repurchased.
C. Special Course Fees - Fees or charges that are imposed to offset unfunded costs associated with individual courses offered either on or off campus, including: use of nontraditional instructional systems; access to and use of technical instruments; and/or use of consumable laboratory or other instructional materials. (See Paragraph V, ADDENDUM, for guidelines about how such fees can and cannot be used.)
D. Special Program Fees - Fees or charges that are imposed to offset unfunded costs for extraordinary services associated with specialized educational programs. (See Paragraph V, Addendum, for guidelines about how such fees can and cannot be used.)
E. Private Instruction Fees - Fees collected from students and used to compensate instructors for individualized private instruction necessary to the development of personal performance skills or artistic competencies of such students.
F. Special Fee Review Committee - The University Curriculum Policy Review Board, with the addition of one representative each from the office of the Associate Vice President for Budget & Planning and the Vice President forStudent Affairs will serve as the university committee to review and to approve or disapprove all requests for special course fees and special program fees submitted by academic departments or colleges. Other membership will consist of six students nominated by ASUU, from whom the President of the University will appoint four students. The Committee will convene annually or as directed by the Chair, and it will report annually to the Senate.
IV. POLICY
A. Key Deposits
Keys may be issued to individuals for access to lockers within buildings after payment of an approved locker key deposit, which will be credited to a general fund liability account. Issuance of keys for access to buildings and rooms is governed by the University Key Policy, Policy and Procedures No. 5-12.
1. An individual requesting a locker key is required to make a deposit for each key with the university cashier. The amount of deposit will be set by the Special Fee Review Committee. A receipt will be issued by the cashier.
2. The locker key will be issued by the department to the individual on presentation of the deposit receipt. The department will retain the receipt until such time as the individual returns the locker key.
3. Upon surrender of the locker key, the department returns receipt to individual, who may present the deposit receipt to the university cashier for refund of the deposit.
B. Special Course Fees and Special Program Fees
1. Colleges, departments, and other operating units of the University of Utah are not authorized to impose, collect, or deposit to their own activity/project any special course fees or special program fees, except to the extent authorized pursuant to this policy.
2. Proposals to impose special course fees and special program fees must be submitted in writing by academic departments or colleges, through the cognizant dean, to the Special Fee Review Committee.
3. All special course fees and special program fees duly approved pursuant to this policy must be paid directly to the university cashier or designated representative of the cashier. The cashier's receipt for the payment will be accepted as evidence that the individual is eligible for the special educational service or program for which the fee was imposed.
C. Breakage Fees
Approved breakage fees must be deposited with the university cashier. Appropriate breakage coupons will be issued. Refunds will be given for unused coupons upon presentation to the cashier.
D. Private Instruction Fees
Approved fees for private instruction must be paid to the university cashier. The department will be provided budget support for private instruction based upon the revenue derived from such private instruction fees.
E. Instructional Materials
Required materials, such as syllabi, outlines, extracts, special publications, reading materials, and other classroom instructional aids intended to be sold to students, must be distributed through the University Bookstore, or other available off-campus sources, unless special arrangements to the contrary are previously approved in writing by the cognizant vice president, with the concurrence of the Vice President for Administrative Services.
F. Approval Authority
1. The Special Fee Review Committee is authorized to approve and to adjust the amount of previously approved key deposits, breakage fees, special course fees, special program fees, and private instruction fees as budgetary circumstance may require, after careful consideration of each request and the views of the affected departments, colleges, and students.
2. The appropriate operating units shall give reasonable notice of required fees and deposits approved under this policy prior to each academic semester or session in which the fees or deposits are required. See Paragraph V, ADDENDUM.
3. A report of all fees and deposits approved under this policy shall be submitted annually to the president for review.
G. Exceptions
The president, on recommendation of the cognizant vice president, may approve specific exceptions to this policy.
V. ADDENDUM
A. General Policy Guidelines for Special Course Fees
1. Income from special course fees is restricted to specific course costs and may not be used to augment general categories of departmental budgets, i.e., supplies and equipment, travel, salaries or computing costs, and may not be deposited into gift activities (Fund 6000)
2. Special course fees may be approved for:
a. Consumable Instructional Materials: lab or studio supplies, breakage, photo lab materials, films, chemicals, handouts, electronic kits, etc.
b. Use of Specialized Facilities: key deposits, darkrooms, practice rooms, special equipment, language labs, etc.
c. Instructional Materials & Services: film and tapes, special syllabi, private instruction, etc.
d. Curriculum Enhancement: field trips, trail fees, leadership labs, etc.
e. Other Specialized Services: testing and exam fees, counseling, etc.
B. General Policy Guidelines for Special Program Fees
Income from special program fees may be used for the sole purpose of offsetting the cost of proiding those services specified in the proposal presented to and approved by the Special Fee Review Committee. Special program fees cannot be used for salaries for instructional personnel.
C. Length of Approval Period
Approval for special course fees and special program fees are granted for a three year period, ending with the summer session.
D. Fee Increases
Special course fees and special program fees may not be increased during the three year period unless there are critical and compelling reasons for an out of sequence increase.
E. Fee Notification
Special course fees may not be charged to students without having been published in the Class Schedule. Special program fees, including their due dates, must be published in all materials related to that service, e.g., marketing, recruiting, application, and program materials. Such publication constitutes advance notice of the special fee requirement.
VI. QUESTIONS
REGARDING THIS POLICY
The Office of the
Associate Vice President for Financial and Business Services is responsible
for answering questions regarding the application of this policy.
Approved:
Board of Trustees 8/13/01
Editorially revised: 10/11/05
M05