Fee Advisory Meeting Minutes

October 5, 2018

Members Present:

• Arden Childers, Student at Large
• John Dunstan, AS Exec. Vice President
• Christina Gamboa, AS Vice President for Finance
• Stacy Heldman-Holguin, Designee for VP for Student Affairs, and Chair of FAC
• Fernando Mendoza, Student at Large
• Elizabeth O’Brien, as designee for Joyce Lopes, VP for Admin. & Finance
• Dr. Hollis Robbins, Dean, School of Arts & Humanities as designee for Provost, VP for Academic Affairs

Members Absent:

• Carley Chatterley, AS President
• Laura Watt, Chair of the Faculty

Staff Present:

• Susan Gutierrez, Director of Financial Aid
• Sue Hardisty, Staff Support to FAC

Staff Absent:

• Erik Dickson, Executive Director, Associated Students
• Hilary C. Smith, Research Services & User Experience Librarian; Student Affairs Committee Rep

AGENDA

1. Review Calendar
2. Presentation on Orientation Refund Policy Language Change
3. Vote on Orientation Refund Policy Language Change
4. Review Audit process    

1. Review Calendar

   Committee reviewed the meeting schedule and had no alterations.

2.  Presentation on Orientation Refund Policy Language Change

While waiting for the presenter, Colleen Mahoney, to arrive Co-chair Holguin distributed position descriptions and agreements for the student representatives to sign. Students must meet eligibility criteria to serve on campus committees and understand committee service expectations.

Colleen Mahoney distributed handouts of a proposed language change to the Orientation Refund Policy statement. The language change would only apply to the fees charged for Orientation. She presented a request to add “regardless of admission status” to the sentence that reads “The fee is non-refundable regardless of admission status if the orientation date you signed up for has passed, you attended the session, OR an Orientation refund is requested after June 15, (year).” This added language makes it more clear that even if rescinded by the campus, there will not be any refund. This is because the university absorbs costs associated with putting on Orientation and the fees are collected to cover those costs. (i.e. staff salaries, food, linen cleaning services, parking permits) If refunding those fees after the student attended an Orientation, the university suffers a loss. This year’s loss was $8000k as a result of allowing refunds for rescinded admits.

The goal is to not raise fees to cover losses when freshmen or transfer students attend orientation but then choose not to attend SSU or their admission is rescinded.

3. Vote on Orientation Refund Policy Language Change

Childers motioned to vote. Dunstan seconded. All in favor.

A President’s Decision Memo recommending approval to add the new language will go to the President from the FAC, as the President makes the final decision.

4. Review Audit Process

A concern from the prior year FAC was that there was not a formal process to review course fees. These are Category III fees. So FAC developed a process for auditing course fees. They took a look at EO 1102 and the Course Fee Policy and set up a cycle to review fees. If the course fee is not being expended by at least 50% it would prompt a review, or whenever there is an increase request, there would be a review for the last three years to make sure fees were being expended as intended.

Another issue is that FAC is not informed when courses are cancelled which has trust funds attached to it, so FAC needs to figure out how to get on the notification list.

Co-Chair Holguin referenced a spreadsheet of current course fees and balances (Tab 11 of FAC binder) to show committee members how many course fees SSU has.

Ross will contact the Provost’s Office to see if we can figure out how to include FAC in the communication loop when courses with trust funds are cancelled.

Co-Chair Holguin asked if there were any questions or items to add to the agenda or for the good of the order. Hearing none, she concluded the meeting at 4:31p.

Minutes submitted by Sue Hardisty.