2.10 Course Fees

Purpose

Course fees charged to students provide a distinct resource for the institution to respond to specific needs of students in particular courses which are not otherwise covered. This policy establishes the procedure for the proposal, review, approval and communication of new or increased course fees.

Policy Statement

All proposals for new course fees or increases in existing course fees must be approved by a Course Fee Committee comprised of the Provost and Executive Vice President or designee, who serves as chair of the committee, the Vice President for Student Affairs or designee, the Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations or designee, a graduate student representative appointed by the Dean of the Graduate College, and an undergraduate student representative appointed by the president of NISG.

The Course Fee Committee will have final approval of the following and need not be approved by the Board of Regents, State of Iowa:

  • Course fees to be used for consumable course materials;
  • Returnable deposit fees;
  • Fees to cover damage to or breakage of university equipment or property by individual students;
Chapter 2: Administrative Policies
  • Fees necessary to cover the cost of services provided by entities external to the university (in the context of a given course);
  • Institutional or college-wide fees of one dollar ($1) or less per semester;
  • Departmental fees of ten dollars ($10) or less per semester.

All new or increased mandatory, common, and university/program specific fees, as defined by the Board of Regents, must be presented to the Board for its approval per the processes defined by the Board. Institutional review and approval of such fees are not covered by this policy.

Procedures

A proposal for a new or increased course fee must be submitted on the Course/Lab/Studio Fee Request Form (found in the Forms Repository) to the head of the department in which the course is listed.  Proposals should include a report on actual, estimated, and projected revenues and expenditures.

Upon approval, the department head or director submits the proposal to the collegiate dean. If approved by the dean, it is sent to the Chair of the Course Fee Committee. The committee will take final action on a request and will communicate the committee’s decision to the Registrar (for inclusion in the schedule of classes) and to the Controller/Director of Business Operations who will establish a separate account to segregate the fee revenues and associated expenditures.

All funds from a course fee must be used for the purposes for which the fee was originally implemented.

The Course Fee Committee will notify the individual proposing the new or increased fee and any approver of the proposal of the committee’s decision within ten days of action on the proposal.

To ensure timely consideration, all proposals must be received by September 15 and February 15 preceding the term in which the new fee or fee increase is to take effect.  The committee will meet to review proposals on or about October 1 and March 1, respectively.

All course fees will be reviewed for renewal on a four-year cycle.

Vice President for Student Affairs, approved February 12, 2018
University Council, approved April 23, 2018
President and Executive Management Team, approved April 30, 2018