PPM 5-5, Tuition and Course Fees

Responsible Office: Vice President for Administrative Services

1.0 PURPOSE

This policy governs the creation of tuition and course fees.

2.0 REFERENCES

2.1 PPM 6-8, Student Fee Philosophy

2.2 Utah Board of Higher Education Policy R510

2.3 Utah Board of Higher Education Policy R517

3.0 POLICY

3.1 General. 

3.1.1 The President or President's designee is authorized to determine regulations concerning the collection of all tuition, fees, deposits, fines, and refunds as established by the State Legislature, the Utah Board of Higher Education, and the Board of Trustees (see Utah Board of Higher Education Policies 510 and R517).

3.1.2 All such tuition, fees, deposits, fines, refunds, and regulations thereto shall be published in University catalogues, publications, or web resources.

3.1.3  Tuition is established and general student fees are approved by the Utah Board of Higher Education. General student fees are used to provide support for student services and activities, capital construction and renovations, and programs for student enrichment. (See PPM 6-8). Other fees (e.g., developmental fees and specific course fees) may be instituted by the University.

3.1.4 Eleven (11) through eighteen (18) undergraduate or graduate credit hours per semester are included in the tuition plateau for tuition calculation purposes.

3.1.5 Nineteen (19) or more credit hours per semester shall constitute an overload for tuition purposes. Students enrolled for nineteen (19) or more credit hours will be assessed tuition on an increasing scale for each additional credit hour above the full load amount.

3.1.6  Tuition and fees listed in the university catalog and course schedules are subject to change without notice. Any exceptions to the payment schedule must be with the approval of the President or the President's designee.

3.1.7 Course fees may be established, following the procedures described in section II.D. below, for specific courses in order to cover the costs of equipment replacement and maintenance, consumable materials, or to meet specific regulatory requirements. Income from such fees is restricted to use in the course generating the fee and may not be used to supplement general departmental budgets. Course fees assessed for developmental courses, however, may be used for additional purposes such as tutoring, supplemental instruction, and other necessary academic support related to those courses.

3.1.8  Students are responsible for payment of tuition and fees according to the payment deadlines for each semester. Each student is obligated to pay tuition and fees when they enroll in a course. Courses are not purged by the University for non-payment or non-attendance. Unpaid student accounts will be assessed a late payment fee, interest, and collection fees.

3.1.9 The University reserves the right to administratively withdraw a student from a current semester if a student has an unpaid tuition and fee balance from a prior semester or if the student provides a dishonored check or other payment to pay for tuition and fees. The prior semester courses will not be dropped or withdrawn.

 

3.2 Procedures.

3.2.1 Tuition, fees, deposits, and other charges are to be paid to the cashier according to deadlines published in University catalogues, publications or web resources. Official receipts are to be issued to the student and must be presented before refunds are to be made, except in those instances where other authorization is to be made.

3.2.2  The schedule for refund of tuition and fees appears in the university catalog and in University catalogues, publications or web resources. Exceptions to the refund schedule shall be only under extenuating circumstances and upon approval of the president or the president's designee. No refund will be granted to students who are requested to withdraw from the university.

3.2.3 Students requiring developmental course work may be charged an additional fee for each course.  In such cases, the fee will be assessed per credit hour of instruction.

4.1 Course Fees

4.1.2  Policy. Course fees are to be used for expenses connected with a course that go beyond the normal expectation of University support. Course fees must be used to provide benefits for the students enrolled in the course for which the fees are charged. Course fees shall not be used to replace funds which are a normal part of departmental budgets. Expendable funds are for consumable items and instructional services and are to be spent annually with an annual fund balance of less that 20%. Non-expendable funds can accrue for a period of more than two semesters and are for such things as equipment replacement and maintenance. Department chairs and deans are responsible for adherence to these allocation guidelines.

4.1.3 Procedures

4.1.3.1 Proposals for course fees must be submitted to the Course Fee Review Committee by departments through the appropriate dean using the Course Fee Application form available from the Provost's Office. The request must include reasons for the request, the specific course or courses for which the fee is being requested, how the fee is going to be used, and the suggested amount of the fee.

4.1.3.2 The Course Fee Review Committee is a University administrative standing committee appointed by the Provost's office to review and make recommendations to the president's council. No course fee may be imposed without president's council approval. The Committee shall consist of 5 faculty members; 3 administrators, one of whom will be a college dean; one from Student Affairs; and one person from Accounting Services appointed for a three-year staggered term; plus 2 students appointed annually by the WSUSA.

4.1.3.3 Only departments who have had fee requests approved are authorized to collect course fees. The amount of the fee shall appear along with the course listing in the course schedule. Fees may not be charged unless they appear in the course schedule.

4.1.3.4 All course fees which have been approved as a result of this policy must be paid directly to the cashier. The receipt of payment is evidence that the payee may attend the course on which the fee was imposed. Refunds of course fees will be made based upon the same percentages as the tuition and course fees refund schedule.

4.1.3.5 Monies collected from course fees will go into specific accounts established for that purpose. Monies may not be moved from these accounts into any other accounts with the exception of course fees assessed for developmental courses which may be used for additional purposes such as tutoring, supplemental instruction, and other necessary academic support related to those courses. The Internal Audit department will evaluate course fee amounts, account balances, and appropriateness as per this policy.

4.1.3.6 The Course Fee Review Committee will establish a review process for course fees and will give timely notice to all colleges/departments regarding the process.  Departments that do not submit renewal information within the designated review timeframe will have their course fee(s) removed.  The noncompliant department can apply for a reinstatement of their fee after one calendar year.  Course fees are generally approved for a four-year period, ending with the summer semester.  Any change in an already approved fee during the four year approval period requires submission of a new application.  Fees may not be raised during this four-year period without reapplication to the Course Fee Review Committee and approval by the president's council.

Revision History

Creation Date:  8-17-78

Amended: 3-8-14