Student Fees Policy and Procedure

Policy: Assessing, Expanding and Adjusting Student Fees and Special Course Fees

In accordance with NSHE BOR Handbook (Title 4, Chapter 17 Section 16 to 17), fees may be assessed to students for lecture and laboratory classes and other student fees in addition to regular tuition and student fees. They include student fees and special course fees.

Fees assessed to students must be approved in advance, and published in the schedule of classes. No fee may be imposed without the President's approval and as applicable without the Board of Regents approval.

Procedure: TMCC Student Fee and Special Course Fee

In accordance with TMCC student and special course fee policy, the following outlines the procedures in assessing, expanding and adjusting such fees.

Section A: General Provisions

  1. This procedure applies to courses for which regular student fees are charged as well as other student fees.
  2. Not charging an approved fee is possible if alternative funding becomes available.
  3. Fees must be reviewed every three years and reapproved in the manner outlined in Section D.
  4. Fees need to be examined periodically to ensure that revenues are approximately equal to expenditures. Fee account activities are the responsibility of the appropriate dean or his/her designee. College oversight of fee balances will be the responsibility of the Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services (VPFA) or their designee. As warranted, fee adjustments, including reductions, may be implemented by the VPFA in consultation with appropriate dean.

Section B: Definition and Use of Course Fee Revenue

  1. Course fees are designed to cover extraordinary instruction costs included in the fee justification and consistent with NSHE Board of Regents policies governing that type of fee (i.e., course fees: equipment maintenance and replacement, consumable materials and supplies, field trips, applied music, clinical practices, etc.).
  2. Course fees may be assessed to support projects that result in items retained by students (e.g., materials for a millwork or art project).
  3. The amount of a course fee must be based on anticipated expenditures incurred on behalf of students or the service covered. Fees should cover only these expenditures, and fee amounts must not be approved to create excess revenues.

Section C. Definition and Use of Student Fee Revenue

Coin bank with graduation cap.

  1. General student fees exist only in cases of additional administrative or other service costs incurred by the institution for a necessary student activity or requirement not specific to one course or type of course.
  2. Mandatory student fees required of all students or all students in a particular group, regardless of dollar amount, shall be approved by the Board of Regents.
  3. Transcript fees do not require Board of Regents approval, but shall be set to reflect actual costs only.
  4. The amount of a student fee must be based on anticipated cost, and should cover only that actual expenditure. Fee amounts must not be approved to create excess revenues.

Section D: Adjustments and Approvals

  1. A fee proposal can be initiated for any course or program by the faculty member or program staff. The request must include rationale and justification, explanation of how the amount of the fee was determined, the date of implementation or deletion and the recommended amount of the fee.
  2. The continuation of existing fees after three years will be reviewed by the responsible area and a recommendation made to the dean and appropriate Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA).
  3. Proposals for all new fees, changing or continuation of existing fees, and/or deletion of fees must be submitted in writing to the appropriate dean (if applicable) and VPAA on the fee request form (see Appendix A). The appropriate dean, division chair and/or director will review the justification for the fee and approve the proposal. Each dean shall combine all approved fee proposals within their division into one request form.
  4. The combined request form per division or program area such as Student Services shall be submitted to the VPAA for review and approval. All approved fee proposals will be compiled by the VPAA office (see Appendix B). Proposed fees will be shared with Student Government Association prior to the VPAA submitting to the President for final approval.
  5. All fees approved by the President are sent to the VPFA in order to:
    1. Process appropriate fees for Board of Regents approval.
    2. Update the Special Course Fee Master List. The VPFA will work with the deans to review this master list for accuracy.
    3. Coordinate the updates needed to the system for student billing and for course scheduling.
  6. All of the processes stated above would follow the designated timelines as outlined in Appendix C.

Section E: Disclosure Requirements

  1. The official listing of the approved fees will be maintained in the VPFA office, or their designee.

Section F: Review of Fees and Expenditures

  1. During January of each year, the VPFA or their designee will provide a copy of the system fee master list to each dean or responsible area.
  2. The functional area responsible for the fee will review fee fund balances. Further, the amount of the fee, the account to which fees are posted, and the expenditures from the fee accounts will be reviewed.
  3. Any adjustments will be initiated from this review by the dean and/or responsible party, including decreasing or eliminating the fee.

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