About Student Success Fees

Tuition rates are set at the system level. All CSU campuses charge the same base tuition rate annually, but each campus varies in what it charges for its mandatory campus-based fees. Students must pay both the systemwide tuition and campus fees to enroll.

Campus-based fees are assessed at the recommendation of the campus. These funds are paid, held and managed at the campus for local priorities and can fund student government and advocacy, student union facilities, recreation centers, health services, scholarships and student research grants, among others.

Campus-based mandatory fees fall into four main types:

1. fees required to enroll or attend a campus
2. fees associated with specific courses
3. fees for materials, services or use of campus facilities
4. fees for self-supported activities (e.g., parking)

Student Success Fees fall under materials, services or use of campus facilities to enhance academic programs, improve the availability of courses, facilitate student progress toward degree completion and enhance the quality of the campus experience for students.

Student Success Fees enhance the learning experience beyond the basic level of access ensured by state and tuition funding. They may cover mental-health programs, peer-to-p​​​eer advising, library resources or career programs. They may even provide for essential amenities — like a study space with internet connectivity.

Other examples include expanding library hours, expanding services for disabled students and veterans, hiring additional faculty and academic counselors, adding and outfitting additional laboratory space, enhancing the technology infrastructure, and funding capital improvements including library expansion projects.

All fees are governed by policy, with every effort made to keep student costs to a minimum. Financial aid may be available depending on the individual needs of the student.

The campus community determines the need for a Student Success Fee and how the fee revenue may be used to improve the quality of academic programs or the student experience.

Student Success Fee proposals are brought before the student body for rigorous consultation and then approved by the students with a binding student vote by simple majority. If the proposed Student Success Fee is accepted by the majority of the students voting, it is then passed to the campus president for approval, and the Chancellor for final approval.

The Chancellor takes all things into consideration, including the anticipated state budget and the services the fee will provide.

• EO 1094 - Student Success Fee (Dominguez Hills)
• EO 1093 - Student Success Fee (San Diego)
• EO 1086 - Academic Excellence and Student Success Fee (San Marcos)
• EO 1085 - Student Success Fee (Pomona)
• EO 1078 - Student Success, Excellence and Technology Fee (San José)
• EO 1075 - Student Success Fee (San Luis Obispo)
• EO 1070 - Student Success Fee (Los Angeles)
• EO 1066 - Academic Access, Enhancement and Excellence (A2E2) Fee 
  (East Bay)
• EO 1060 - Student Success, Graduation and Career Placement Fee 
  (San Bernardino)
• EO 1055 - Student Excellence Fund/Mandatory Materials, Services and Facilities Fee (Long Beach)
• EO 1035 - Mandatory Materials, Services and Facilities Fee (Northridge)​
  

1. Neither a campus of the California State University, nor the Chancellor of the California State University shall approve a new student success fee or an increase to an existing student success fee, as defined in subdivision (g), before all of the following requirements are satisfied:
   1. The campus undertakes a rigorous consultation process that informs and educates students on the uses, impact, and cost of any proposed student success fee or student success fee increase.
   2. The campus informs its students of all of the following circumstances, which shall apply to these fees:
      1. That, except as provided in clauses (ii) and (iii), a student success fee may be rescinded by a majority vote of the students, as specified in subdivision (c).
      2. ​That a student success fee shall not be rescinded earlier than six years following the vote to implement the fee.
      3. If any portion of the student success fee is committed to support a long-term obligation, that portion of the fee shall not be rescinded until the obligation has been satisfied.
   3. The campus shall hold a binding student election on the implementation of any proposed student success fees, or any increase to an existing student success fee, and a majority of the student body voting on the fee must vote affirmatively.
   1. Implementation of a fee supported by a majority of the campus student body voting on the fee is contingent upon the final approval of the Chancellor of the California State University.
   2. A student success fee proposal shall not be brought before the student body more frequently than once per academic year.
2. A student success fee in place on January 1, 2016, may be rescinded by a binding student vote under the procedures authorized in subdivision (c) only after at least six years have elapsed following the implementation of the fee.
3. (1) Student success fees may be rescinded with a binding student vote if a simple majority of those students voting vote to rescind the fee. The student vote shall comply with all of the following:
   1. A campus decision to vote is formally approved by the recognized student government.
   2. Rescission vote proposals shall not be brought before the student body more frequently than once per academic year.
   3. In the process of reconsidering a student success fee, and before the student vote occurs, the students shall be informed, if a portion of the fee is supporting a long-term obligation, the dollar amount of that portion, and the date on which the long-term obligation would be satisfied.
   2. A new contractual or other obligation that would be supported by the rescinded student success fee shall not be entered into following a vote to rescind the fee.
4. The Chancellor of the California State University shall ensure that all of the following occur on each campus:
   1. There is majority student representation in campus student success fee allocation oversight groups.
   2. There is an annual report from each campus to the Chancellor on student success fees.
   3. There is uniform, transparent, online accountability in the decision making process for, and a detailed accounting of, the allocation of student success fees.
5. The Chancellor of the California State University shall establish appropriate reporting procedures to ensure that a campus is in compliance with the requirements of this section.
6. The Chancellor shall report, by December 1 of each year, to the Department of Finance, and the Legislature pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code, a summary of the fees adopted or rescinded in the prior academic year, and the uses of proposed and currently implemented fees.
7. For purposes of this section, a “student success fee” is a type of category II campus-based mandatory fee that is required to be paid by a student before that student may enroll or attend a campus of the California State University, as determined by that campus or the Chancellor of the California State University.

Reference » AB 1000 (2015); SB 1171 Sec. 78 (2015)