Fee Advisory and Instructionally Related Committee Training

September 21, 2018

 

FAC MEMBERS PRESENT:     

John Dunstan, AS Executive Vice President

Christina Gamboa, AS Vice President for Finance, Chair of FAC

Stacy Heldman-Holguin, Interim AVP for Student Affairs, Designee for VP for Student Affairs

Elizabeth O’Brien, Director for Seawolf Service Center, Designee for VP for Administration and Finance

Hollis Robbins, Dean of Arts and Humanities, Designee for VP for Academic Affairs,

Laura Watt, Chair of the Faculty

 

FAC MEMBERS ABSENT:

TBD, Student at Large

TBD, Student at Large

Carley Chatterley, AS President

 

FAC STAFF PRESENT:

Susan Gutierrez, Director of Financial Aid

Sue Hardisty, FAC Staff Support

Hayley Ross, Budget Manager, University Budget and Planning

 

FAC STAFF ABSENT:

Erik Dickson, Executive Director, Associated Students

Hilary Smith, Research Services & User Experience Librarian, Student Affairs Committee Rep

 

IRA MEMBERS PRESENT:      

John Dunstan, AS Executive Vice President, Chair of IRA

Christina Gamboa, AS Vice President for Finance

Anna Reynolds-Smith, Staff Support

Katie Robinson, Sr. Dir. Of Budget

Jordan Rose, Faculty, Nursing

 

IRA MEMBERS ABSENT:

TBD, Student at Large

TBD, Student at Large

Sergio Canavati De La Torre, Faculty, Business Administration

Justine Law, Faculty, Hutchins School

Elias Lopez, AVP for Academic Resources or designee

 

AGENDA

1. FAC and IRA Training

FAC Co-Chair Christina Gamboa, Associated Students Vice President for Finance, began the meeting at 3:12 p. She introduced herself and John Dunstan, Associated Students Executive Vice President. She then turned the meeting over to Co-Chair Stacy Heldman-Holguin.

Dr. Holguin explained that today’s meeting was to provide training to both the Fee Advisory (FAC) and the Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) committees. Prior to 2017-2018, there was only one committee, the FAC, to oversee the requirements of Executive Order 1102. It was decided that it would be more effective to split into two committees with different charges.  FAC provides advice to the President on Category II & III fees. The SSU President appoints the co-chairs of the committee, which are Christina Gamboa and Dr. Holguin.

The FAC and IRA calendars have been combined to meet appropriate deadlines for implementation and posting of fees, and review and distribution of IRA funds. The majority of voting members on FAC and IRA are students.

Next Elizabeth O’Brien talked about Fee Policies.  Today’s powerpoint presentation will be sent to committee members. Ed Code 89230, California Code, Title 5, and the Executive Order 1102 are the policies and laws that dictate how fees are structured within the CSU. Each campus submits an annual report to the Chancellor’s Office regarding campus fees.

Category I are the same rates systemwide and are controlled by the CSU Board of Trustees. Category II fees are also mandatory fees but may vary across campuses. O’Brien explained further about the differences between these two fees. Category III fees are course fees tied to specific classes, such as lab fees, field trip fee, art studio fee. Category IV fees are fees paid for services, use of facilities, or fines that are collected through state-supported operations. Category V fees are charged by self-support operations on campus. Housing, Extended Ed, are examples of these types of fees.

Ross then explained about the Operating Fund Resources such as state appropriation, tuition fee, non-resident fees. She then showed a slide on Budget Sources. The University Budget and Planning Office manages revenue associated with Category I, II, and V fees.

O’Brien explained what Financial Services (FS) does which is manage revenue associated with Category III and IV fees. For each fee, FS creates a separate fund and trust fund agreement, and ensures each expenditure is within the scope identified. She showed mandatory registration charges/fees. Any fees charged to students are outlined in student’s MySSU accounts. She showed a list of campus-based fees. CPI is an annual adjustment and it is currently 3.2%. A description of tuition and other mandatory student charges/fees are posted online and it explains where the fees go.

Laura Watt feels it would be good to get graduate student perspective on mandatory fees because they often cannot utilize the services they pay for because they take classes at night or online.

O’Brien then explained about course fees (Category III) and what they could be used for. They cannot be used to replace operating costs.

There are approved fee ranges for course fees which is outlined in Executive Order 740. Each year a trust fund applicant receives a request to review their fund to see if any changes are needed.

Ross explained that in years past, course fees had not been reviewed so a criteria was established for annual review of course fees. She provided an explanation of a spreadsheet that showed all trust funds and the prior year balance, current year revenue, and current year expenses. Over the summer a subcommittee reviewed all of the course fees and targeted any fund that was less than 50% spent to see why the funds had not been spent. Some courses were no longer offered but the funds were collecting interest and growing every year. Every year course fees will be reviewed in this same way. Funds remaining in a trust will continue to roll over until Financial Services becomes aware that the course is no longer in existence. At that time, balances are transferred to the originating department SO100 fund. When courses are deleted, a form is filled out and routed through faculty governance and finally it is sent to Catalog to delete the course from the Catalog. This process does not inform Financial Services and therefore they are unaware that a course has been deleted that may have a corresponding trust fund that needs to be closed.

Reynolds-Smith, staff for IRA Subcommittee, talked about last year being the first year of IRA subcommittee existence and they developed an online application process. The committee is governed by Ed Code 89230. (Refer to tab 14 of training binder). The 2003 IRA Fee Referendum dictates that 4 permanently funded programs receive funds on an annual basis (Athletics 62.26%, Children’s School 2.11%, Library 6.26.%, Performing Arts 15.91%). These are referred to as “above the line” programs. The balance remaining is allocated to “below the line” programs. The list of Prohibited Expenses was developed by SSU over time. One type of expense that folks often get hung up on is that not more than 25% can be used on hospitality.  She then explained this year’s allocation of IRA Fee revenue.

Reynolds-Smith then talked about the IRA application process.  The application form tells the applicant exactly what is needed for the assessment requirement. She outlined the timeline for the application process. Laura Watt recalls talking in IRA last year about speaker honorariums. Ms. Smith said IRA would establish criteria for reasonable speaker fees. Since student representation changes each year on each committee we feel the need to establish some standards for continuity sake but also need to remember that these decisions are Committee decisions and as the needs of students change, so may the decisions of the student led committee. One year FAC decided to not allow sports clubs to apply for IRA funding but the original IRA fee referendum did allow sports clubs to apply for funds. Primitivo is another example of inconsistency in decisions about eligible programs.

The Course Fee Audit plan is the solution to the AS Resolution to not vote on course fees until students received evidence that departments are funded appropriately for operational needs and that fees would not go to operational expenses.

IRA allocations are distributed in two equal payments, once at the beginning of Fall semester and then again at the beginning of Spring semester.

Robbins asked what the policy is on faculty charging for costs that are not considered a course fee.  She wondered if FAC ever reviews all courses to see if students are being required to purchase equipment for a specific course and to verify that it does not need to go through course fee application process. She and Holguin will discuss this matter further after some additional research is done on the issue.

Fee Referendum is another responsibility to FAC and IRA. It can be brought forward by Associated Students or a campus department.

Holguin then pointed out the FAC and IRA Meeting Schedule for 2018-2019. Spring dates may need to be adjusted based on committee member’s schedules but we need to try to line them up with the schedule example in order to meet deadlines.

Recommendations are sent to the President for approval by way of the Decision Memo for the President.

At the end of each year, the committees must complete the annual committee report.

We will do a catch up training for colleagues who could not be present today.

Meeting adjourned at 4:27 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Sue Hardisty, staff to FAC