Students at California State University campuses will be given the power to approve and rescind so-called “student success fees” – – which have been criticized by some as a way to raise tuition — under a policy approved Wednesday by the CSU Board of Trustees.
The fees, which are in place on 12 of the CSU’s 23 campuses, have been used to cover the cost of various services that administrators said could not be covered by regular tuition, such as upgrading technology on campus, offering free WiFi and extending library hours, as well as hiring additional faculty and advisers.
But the fees have been criticized by students who said they were a back- handed way of raising tuition, exacerbating financial struggles of students already struggling to afford their education.
Last summer, the state Legislature placed a moratorium on any new success fees being imposed until Jan. 1, 2016, pending the implementation of a policy on how the fees are enacted.
Under the policy approved by the board today, a “binding student vote” must be taken to implement any new success fees, and a “rigorous consultation” effort must be made prior to the vote to educate students on how the funds will be used and the costs involved.
If students approve the imposition of the fee, it still must be approved by the campus president and CSU chancellor.
Approved fees will remain in effect for at least six years, after which they can be rescinded by another student vote. If the existing fee is tied to a specific contract or other financial obligation that stretches beyond six years, the fee will remain in place until the contract is fulfilled.
Fees that are already in place will remain in effect until at least Jan. 1, 2021, after which students will be able to vote on rescinding the fee.
— City News Service