91ɬÂþ

POLICY #11.8 
SUBJECT: General Student Fee Advisory Board

I. PURPOSE

This Policy establishes the process of annual review and recommendations from student representatives to the University administration on student fees and their allocations, including increases in existing fees, reduction of existing fees and the addition of new student fees.  It provides for coordination with appropriate University officers in the recommendation development process. The main purpose of the General Student Fee Advisory Board (Board) is to review student fees and to formalize the involvement of students and selected University representatives in the student fee recommendation process.  General Student Fees may be requested and used for the following purposes:

1. To secure bonds to construct or renovate a specific facility, as approved by the student body. Such facilities shall be for the enrichment of the student experience and may not be for the construction of instructional space;
2. To fund operation and maintenance, capital improvements, and other necessary operational expenses for student-approved facilities; and
3. For student activities, programs, resources, and services from which the general student body may benefit.

Course fees and program fees are not included in the scope of the Student Fee Review process and should be submitted through the appropriate academic process.

II. REFERENCES

1. Southern Utah University Policy 5.4 Board of Trustees Bylaws
2. Southern Utah University Policy 6.42 Program and Course Fees
3. Southern Utah University Policy 11.1 Constitution of the Southern Utah University Student Association
4. Utah Code
5. Utah System of Higher Education
6. Utah System of Higher Education

III. DEFINITIONS

1. General Student Fees: Fees charged to students in addition to any matriculation and/or tuition to support student organizations and student activities and for intercollegiate programs such as intramural sports or visiting academics. General Student Fees are assessed based on the number of credits for which a student is enrolled in the applicable semester.
2. General Student Fee Advisory Board: An institutional committee composed of students, staff, and administrators that oversees the establishment, review, revision, or repeal of General Student Fees.

IV. POLICY

1. General Student Fees shall be published on the University website.
2. Revenue from General Student Fees is restricted to the specific program areas, facilities, and services for which they are approved and shall be established to cover budgeted expenses. Fund balances may accumulate for large expenditures needing multi-year revenues only if planned, budgeted, and pre-approved by the Board of Trustees.
3. Advisory Board composition:
   1. The 91ɬÂþSA Student Body President serves as the Board chair in a limited voting capacity. The Student Body President votes only in case of a tied vote.
   2. The Vice President for Student Affairs (or designee) serves as the vice-chair in a non-voting capacity
   3. Director, Student Involvement and Leadership, in a non-voting capacity;
   4. One (1) designee from the Financial Services area to serve as a financial advisor, in a non-voting capacity;
   5. 91ɬÂþSA Executive Council;
   6. Members of the 91ɬÂþSA Senate.
4. Advisory Board Expectations
   1. The Board must be formed by the second Friday in October each year.
   2. The Board shall adopt and publicize a tentative list of dates and times for its meetings.
   3. All Board members are expected to attend all scheduled meetings with the exception of those members unable to attend due to illness or other campus obligations. Any other exceptions must be cleared by the chair or vice-chair.
   4. Each meeting may be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order as determined by the Board Chair.
   5. Members of the Board may be removed and replaced by a two-thirds vote of the Board.
5. Annual Review Process
   1. The Vice President for Student Affairs office will send a Fee Review/Request Form annually to all areas currently receiving a student fee by the second Friday of October. The completed form is due back to the Board by the second Friday of November. All areas receiving a fee are required to return the Fee Review/Request Form every year unless exempt from review as outlined in this Policy.
      
      There will be public campus notification of the annual fee review process. If any areas/departments find it appropriate to request a new student fee, they may obtain a Fee Review/Request Form online or from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. The Fee Review/Request Forms must be submitted by the second Friday of November.
   2. The Advisory Board will review each fee annually and make a recommendation based on the most appropriate course of action. The Board will review all fees in the following ways, depending upon how much information is needed in order for Board members to make an informed recommendation to the President's Leadership Council:
      1. Step 1: All Board members will independently review all of the submitted Fee Review/Request Forms. A vote will be held and an informed recommendation will be made. For fees that do not pass (with at least two-thirds of the quorum of the Board) from this round of voting, those fees move to step 2.
      2. Step 2: If further information is still needed to make an informed vote and recommendation after step 1, the Board may request a formal presentation by the requesting area at a Board meeting. After listening to the presentation, the Board will hold a vote in person and make a recommendation.
   3. With help from the designee from Financial Services, the Board shall review University enrollment impact on General Student Fee revenue, examine whether each General Student Fee may be proportionally adjusted with enrollment change, and assess the adequacy of fund balances as allowed in the section titled "Student Fees Recommendation and Approvals."
   4. If a new fee request is submitted that exceeds $10 a semester, or if an area with an existing fee requests an increase in excess of $10 a semester, the Board may make a motion to organize a student vote to allow for the entire student population to weigh in on the request. In order to organize a student vote, the motion must pass by two-thirds of the Board. If the motion does not pass, then the Board maintains the authority to vote on the fee request.
      1. If a vote is administered, it must be completed before Truth in Tuition hearing, which is typically held in late February or early March. A vote must be active for a minimum of three (3) business days. Therefore, a decision to move forward with a vote should be made by early January to allow adequate time to educate students on the topic and administer a student vote.
         1. The vote will be organized by Board members and the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership. If necessary, the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment and the Office of Marketing Communication may be enlisted to assist with the effort.
      2. If a vote is administered to the student body, the fee passes if a majority (50%+) of the student body votes in favor. The fee fails if it does not reach 50% of the students being in favor.
6. Comprehensive Review
   1. In addition to the annual review and beginning in the 2021-2022 academic year, each student fee will receive a comprehensive review every five (5) years. A report of the comprehensive review will be submitted to the Utah State Board of Higher Education.
7. Facilities Fees
   1. General Student Fees for facility construction or renovation projects shall conduct a vote of the student body unless the project does not expand the facility’s capacity and does not exceed $10,000,000.
   2. Currently enrolled students shall be notified of the proposed facility fee at least 30 days prior to a vote and provided the following information regarding the purpose and amount of the proposed fees:
      1. Details of the proposed facility and estimated costs for construction;
      2. The projected amount of the General Student Fee needed to fund the debt service for the cost of facility construction or renovation;
      3. The estimated length of debt service;
      4. The estimated costs, over the life of the facility, for the operation of the facility, including operation and maintenance and capital improvements; and
      5. The project amount of the General Student Fee to cover the cost of facility operation.
   3. A majority of voting students must vote in favor of the proposal in order to move it forward through the approval process outlined in the section titled "Student Fee Recommendations and Approval."
   4. Fees established for constructing or renovating a student-approved facility shall be repealed by the beginning of the academic year after bond obligations end. Fees created or adjusted for a student-approved facility operation may continue and shall be annually reviewed and adjusted according to the outlined procedures.
8. Student Fee Recommendations and Approval
   1. The Advisory Board has the option to recommend either increasing or decreasing a fee amount, unless the fee is exempted from adjustment as outlined in the section titled "Facilities Fees." Additionally, debt covenants include provisions to automatically increase fees by the amount necessary to meet debt service payments in the event a shortfall in funding occurs.
      1. If the Board is considering decreasing a fee amount, the Board will allow for the area receiving those fees to present to the Board to justify the need for the current fee prior to the final vote on reducing or removing the fee.
   2. A Board recommendation must pass by a two-thirds majority of the quorum. A quorum consists of at least two-thirds of the seven (7) voting Board members.
      1. Board members are expected to form an opinion and vote on each motion and fee. Votes of "abstention" will not be recognized and the votes will either pass or fail based on a two-thirds majority of the remaining voters.
   3. The Advisory Board must complete their review of all fees by the second Friday in February. After the Board completes its yearly fee review process, a recommendation letter regarding General Student Fees will be sent to the 91ɬÂþ President’s Council.
   4. Currently enrolled students shall be notified of the General Student Fees proposal and the date, time, and location of a student hearing on the proposal. This hearing is typically held in conjunction with the annual Truth in Tuition hearing.
   5. Fee recommendations from the President’s Council are forwarded to the 91ɬÂþ Board of Trustees and then to the Utah State Board of Higher Education for their respective review and approval. Ultimate responsibility for approving General Student Fees continues to reside with the Board of Higher Education. Once all levels of approval have been met, the requesting areas will be notified of acceptance, adjustment, or denial of their request.
   6. Fees go into effect at the beginning of Summer semester each year.
9. Fee Compliance
   1. The use of student fees will be subject to applicable federal, state, and University rules, regulations, laws, policies, and procedures.
10. Records
    1. All Fee Request/Review Forms, recommendation letters from the Board to the President’s Council, and Advisory Board meeting minutes will be maintained by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.
11. Restrictions
    1. Student fees may not be used to fund:
       1. programs or services that should reasonably by supported by state appropriations, tuition, or auxiliary funds;
       2. facilities, except as allowed in the section titled "Facilities Fees";
       3. direct instructional costs; and
       4. general administrative expenses.

V. RELEVANT FORMS/LINKS

VI. QUESTIONS/RESPONSIBLE OFFICE

The responsible office for this Policy is the Vice President for Student Affairs.

VII. POLICY ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT DATES

Date Approved: November 12, 2004

Amended: December 3, 2008; June 14, 2012; December 1, 2016; December 4, 2019; December 2, 2021; April 25, 2024