There are currently six categories of student fees in the California State University system:
Category I Fees: These are systemwide mandatory fees which are charged at the same rate and must be paid to apply to, enroll in, or attend the university, or to pay the full cost of instruction required of some students by statute. These fees are controlled by the Board of Trustees. Neither the Chancellor nor Presidents can establish or adjust these fees unless specifically designated to do so by the Board of Trustees.
Examples of Category I Fees include:
- Tuition Fee
- Non-Resident Tuition Fee
- Application Fee
- Professional Program Fee
Category II Fees: Category II Fees are mandatory fees, which are required by the University but may vary across campuses. The Chancellor is delegated authority to establish or adjust these fees. Once a fee is established, Presidents are then further delegated to adjust these fees. The President is responsible for assuring that appropriate and meaningful consultation occurs before adjusting fees. This consultation may manifest itself through advisory student referendum or the alternative consultation process.
At SSU, all of the Campus Based Fees (CSU Category II Fees) are subject to increase each academic year based on the Bay Area Consumer Price Index (CPI) per the 2001 student fee referendum.
Examples of Category II Fees include:
- Health Services and Health Facilities Fee
- Associated Students Fee
- Instructionally Related Activities Fee
Category III Fees: These are miscellaneous course fees for state-support instruction, specifically for materials and services used in concert with the basic foundation of an academic course offering. The Chancellor is delegated authority to establish or adjust these fees. Once a fee is established, Presidents are then further delegated to adjust these fees.
The President also has limited authority to establish Category III fees within a range pre-established by the Chancellor.
Before establishing or adjusting these fees, the President must seek consultation from the campus Student Fee Advisory Committee.
Examples of Category III Fees include:
- Art Studio Fee
- Chemistry Lab Fee
- Field Trip Fee
- Nursing Skills Lab Fee
Category IV Fees: These are fees, other than Category II or III fees, paid for materials, services, use of facilities, and fees or deposits to reimburse the university for additional costs resulting from dishonored payments, late submissions or misuse of property or as a security or guaranty.
The President has the authority to establish, oversee, and adjust this category of fees. To establish or adjust Category IV Fees, SSU practice is that a university department must submit a proposal to both the President and Student Fee Advisory Committee.
Examples of Category IV Fees include:
- Library Overdue Fees
- ID Replacement Fee
- Orientation Fees
Category V Fees: These fees are charged by self-support operations on campus. Self-support programs are defined as those not receiving state general fund appropriations; instead, fees are collected to pay the full cost of a program. The campus has the authority to establish, oversee, and adjust this category of fees. Each self-support has a different process to establish, oversee, and adjust fees. All revenues collected must be used to support and develop new activities within the self-support fund.
Examples of Category V Fees include:
- Housing Fees
- Extended Education Fees
- Parking Fees
Category VI Fees: These are Student Involvement and Representation Fees (SIRF) which are considered systemwide voluntary fees. Collection of the fee occurs in the fall and spring academic terms. Each time the fee is assessed, students are provided a means to decline the payment of the fee. The SIRF at SSU is $2 per term and the funds go to the California State Student Association (CSSA).
Per EO 1102, each campus reports annually to the Chancellor a complete inventory of all fees in categories II, III, IV and V, including current year fee rates, the total revenue collected in the past year for each fee, and the remaining balance for each fee. It also includes a separate detailed report on Category V extended education fees.