Support for Guidelines for the Development of a CSU Student Tuition and Fee Policy

AS-2631-03/FGA - November 13-14, 2003

RESOLVED: That the Academic Senate of the California State University (CSU) support the following guidelines for the development of a CSU Student Tuition and Fee Policy:

1. Establish a clear definition and means of calculating full "cost of instruction."



2. Determine how full "cost of instruction" shall be met through State General Fund allocations and student tuition and fee revenues including the determination of relative proportions assigned to each of them.



3. Determine an incremental rate of change for student tuition and fees over a specified period of years based upon the agreed-upon percentage/proportion of "cost of instruction," and an annual adjustment thereafter linked to an agreed-upon index.



4. Commit to an annual student tuition and fee accountability report to the Board of Trustees to address:



1. identification of the State's contribution, i.e., what percentage of the "cost of instruction" has the State's General Fund assumed during the past year?



2. identification of the impact of the "cost of instruction" for students each year, i.e., what percentage of the "cost of instruction" has the student assumed during the past year?



3. identification of any gap between the "cost of instruction" (1. above) and the dollar amount the State General Fund and student tuition and fees provide, and a plan to eliminate the gap in the following year



4. identification of the available pool of total financial aid resources (state and federal), i.e., are there sufficient resources to guarantee affordability?



5. identification of existing and formally proposed individual campus-based fees.



5. Fee policies should be consistent with Trustee policies expressed in reports such as the Facilitating Graduation Report adopted by the Board in January 2003; and be it further




RESOLVED: That the above support for these guidelines is dependent upon the continued full involvement of the Academic Senate's representatives as well as representatives of the California State Student Association (CSSA) in the development of the CSU Student Tuition and Fee Policy; and be it further



RESOLVED: That the Academic Senate CSU recommend that the Board of Trustees, upon receipt of the annual accountability report, adopt a CSU Budget proposal that requests State General Funds to support the full proportion of the State's obligations.



RATIONALE: Last year's fee increases and the prospect of continued fiscal stress in the State led to a request from the Board of Trustees that a California State University (CSU) Student Fee Policy be developed for deliberation and action during the Spring of 2004. The development of a long-term fee policy is consistent with Academic Senate CSU resolutions and continuing concerns that a policy be developed in a collaborative manner. Resolution AS-2594-03/FGA, Student Fees in the California State University (CSU): Mitigating Their Effects, specifies that any future fee increases "be the result of a meaningful consultation process involving students, faculty and other members of the university community and be based on a coherent and defensible policy." These guidelines represent a starting point for the collaborative development of that policy.

APPROVED - November 13-14, 2003