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Tuition and Fees

Overview

Tuition is what students are required to pay to attend SUU, covering the costs left to the university by what the Utah Legislature does not fund. Therefore, tuition increases are inseparable from higher education funding. Student fees are a different beast, covering the cost to run a variety of student-oriented programs, including SUUSA's programming. Finally, course fees are charged by colleges and schools.

Background

Tuition

The Utah System of Higher Education, under the direction of the Board of Regents, is funded by taxes allocated by the Utah Legislature. Higher education funding is a different budget item than primary and secondary education and thus often gets overlooked by people campaigning for more funding for education. Each year during the legislative session, funding is considered. With continually increasing costs, if additionally funding is not allocated to higher education, tuition will increase.

The Board of Regents determines the first-tier tuition increase, which is state-wide and binding on each of the state campuses. In light of state funding and what costs will be covered by the first-tier tuition increase, the university administration will determine the second-tier tuition, or campus-specific, increase to fill the gaps. The administration's intentions must be shown to students during a "Truth in Tuition" presentation each spring semester. The Board of Trustees and the Board of Regents must approve the second-tier tuition increase.

Tuition will always increase, the question is by how much. The crux of the matter lies with the State Legislature, and only secondarily with the university administration.

Student Fees

Student fees include the following: athletics, building, health service, student center activity, computer, student I.D., theatre arts and dance, music, campus recreation, Outdoor Recreation, Service Learning, student activity, and student newspaper. Only the student activity portion of student fees, the part that funds SUUSA, must be approved by the SUUSA Senate. All student fees must be approved by the Board of Trustees.

To make students more involved in the approval of their student fees and the creation of new fees, only a small portion of which is under direct control of students, as mentioned above, a Student Fee Review Board was formed in 2004. The Student Fee Review Board, or Student Fee Review Committee, provides budget information on the use of student fees, insight from students regarding desired benefits from student fees, and increasing campus awareness of student fees.

Board members include the Vice President for Student Services, committee chair; SUUSA President; SUUSA Academic Vice President; SUUSA Involvement Vice President; SUUSA Activities Vice President; two at-large students appointed by the SUUSA Executive Council; a Financial Services designee to serve as a non-voting advisor to the Board.

The Board's recommendations are sent to the President's Council. The President's Council sends its binding recommendation to the Board of Trustees and Board of Regents for approval. The Student Fee Review Board also receives a copy of the President's Council decision on final recommendations.

Course Fees

Course fees are designed to cover additional materials for classes, such as labs, computer use, printing, etc. They are determined by the schools or colleges and must be approved by the student senators of the respective school or college.

Links/Contact

- Utah Legislature Website
- Student Fee Review Board Bylaws

- Contact State Legislators
- Contact Administrators
- Contact Board of Trustees

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