Proposals for Increases and New Non-Mandatory Fees; Guidelines, Form, and Timeline

Memorandum

To: Presidents, Provosts, Chief Financial Officers, and Vice Presidents of Student Affairs of U.T. System Academic Institutions

From: Steve Leslie, Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

RE: Proposals for Increases and New Non-Mandatory Fees; Guidelines, Form, and Timeline

Date: November 19th, 2016

In accordance with The Board of Regent’s Rules and Regulations Series 40401 and Texas Education Code, the Executive Vice Chancellor is delegated the authority to grant approval for a variety of non-mandatory fees.  According to Regent’s Rule 40401, non-mandatory fees can be submitted and potentially approved “upon finding by the president that such fees and other charges and changes to fees and other charges are required to reasonably reflect the actual cost to the institution of the material or services.”

To bring some order and efficiency to this process, the Office of Academic Affairs will accept proposals for non-mandatory fees on an annual basis beginning on December 1^st,, and responses will be provided on or before March 1^st.   During years in which the Board of Regents tuition and mandatory fee approval process occurs, these fee requests will also be evaluated within the context of total academic cost and impact to students.  However, during years in which there is no formal tuition and fee approval process, the EVC will still accept and evaluate these fee requests in the allocated timeframe.

All requests should be submitted on the attached template form so that Academic Affairs may evaluate the potential impact to students, assess the need for the fee, determine if the fees are reasonable compared to the financial need, and review benchmark/market analysis of fees at comparable institutions.

As you consider your requests for new fees, please keep in mind the following categories of fees considered non-mandatory and subject to approval:

1. Fees for Vehicle Registration and Fees and Other Charges associated with parking
(Texas Education Code Sections 51.202(a) and 54.505)

2. Matriculation Fee
(Texas Education Code Section 54.006(a-1))

3. Fees Associated with the Option to Pay Tuition by Installment
(Texas Education Code Section 54.007(c))

4. Supplemental Fees for coaching or individual instruction
(Texas Education Code Section 54.051(l))

5. Laboratory Fees
(Texas Education Code Section 54.501(a))

6. Incidental, including but not limited to course fees
(Texas Education Code Section 54.504)

Please note that some incidental fees are mandatory in that they apply to all students at an institution.  Mandatory fees are subject to approval from the Board of Regents and often include things such as advising fees, technology/computer fees, etc.  The most typical kind of incidental fees that are non-mandatory are course fees.  Distance education fees also fall within the incidental fee category and are subject to approval within this process.  Approval of incidental fees such as course fees and distance education fees are delegated to the EVC for approval.

7. Charges and Fees for Certain Payments, related to electronic funds transfer or credit card payment
(Texas Education Code Section 54.5011)

8. Fees and Other Charges for rentals, rates, and charges for certain occupancy, services, use and availability of facilities or services including, but not limited to, student housing room and board
(Texas Education Code Section 55.16)

9. Continuing Education Course Fees
(Texas Education Code Section 54.545 and further detailed in Rule 40403)