FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES

SPECIAL COURSE FEES   (G29)

Revised: December 23, 1996

1. Overview

   The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System is empowered to establish special course fees under the provisions of section 36.27(1) of the Wisconsin Statutes. The intent of this paper is to formalize the UW System policy on assessment of special course fees for credit courses.

   
   

2. Policy

   Special course fees are defined as charges in addition to the regular instructional fee, segregated fee and tuition. These fees are assessed to all students in a course or are assessed or directly collected from individual students based on student exercised options.

   In general, for courses required for degree completion, students should only be charged a special course fee for those items which would not reasonably be included in instructional fees. Special course fees, where approved, must be used solely for support of the courses involved. All institutions must strive to administer the special course fee funds in ways that provide students paying those fees a reasonable opportunity to benefit equitably from the expenditure of the fee funds. Difficulty in securing adequate regular budget support shall not be the determining factor in the decision to charge selected students a special course fee.

   In all instances where special course fees are approved, students must be advised prior to registration that they will be expected to pay additional cost above institutional instructional fees. Required special course fees must be clearly specified in the university catalog/bulletin and/or timetable/class schedule.

   
   

3. Guidelines

   1. Special course fees MUST be charged in the following situations:

      1. When a student exercises an option to participate beyond the minimum requirements of a course which results in additional supplies and expense (S&E) costs to the institution.

      2. When a student consumes the standard resources provided to all students to complete course requirements and requires additional resources to complete the requirements OR upgrades the materials used to complete the requirements.

   2. Special course fees MAY be charged in the following situations:

      1. For private lessons in vocal or instrumental music to all non- music major students enrolled for private lessons. This fee may also be assessed to music majors who elect to take additional lessons beyond the major degree requirements; OR

      2. For materials that result in a tangible product that is retained by the student in a credit course; OR

      3. For transportation and admission costs incurred on field trips required in credit course instruction; OR

      4. For extensive instructional handout materials that are clearly a replacement for a principal textbook or substantial reference material for a course (applies only to institutions without a Textbook Rental Program); OR

      5. For supplementary textbooks and resource materials (applies to institutions with a Textbook Rental Program); OR

      6. For other special or extraordinary costs of a course:

         1. which is not a requirement for any degree program OR

         2. when an alternative course is offered with no special course fees.

   3. Special course fees MAY NOT be charged in the following situations:

      1. For the normal level of breakage or consumption of materials purchased by the University for direct use by students in activities that are integral to credit course instruction; OR

         Key and similar type deposits may be required in order to insure the return in reasonable condition (normal wear and tear excepted) of University equipment and supplies temporarily assigned to the student.

      2. For health and/or safety equipment required in carrying out course activities; OR

      3. For typical duplicated instructional handout materials; OR

      4. For computer and other laboratory equipment usage, primary software, maintenance and related supplies; OR

      5. In general, for activities related to required credit-course instruction not identified in A. or B., even though these course activities represent special or extraordinary cost

   4. The following items are considered to be PERSONAL expenses of students.

      1. Food, lodging and incidentals on all required field trips.

      2. Transportation to sites related to student teaching, clinical assignments and other types of practicums.

      3. Personal health, safety and dress requirements related to instruction.

      4. Recommended books and incidentals.

      5. Required books, publications and instructional software templates for those institutions without a Textbook Rental Program.

   A special course fee may be assessed to students to facilitate the acquisition of items 1., 3., and 4. above.

   Examples of when a special course fee must, may and may not be charged are outlined in Appendix I.

   
   

4. Procedures

   All special course fees must be approved in writing by the Chancellor or designee(s). The Chancellor is responsible for insuring that these policies are observed and for developing procedures at each institution. Exceptions may be authorized by the Chancellor or designee.

   Collection of special course fees in the classroom is discouraged. Except in those instances where payments are more appropriately paid directly to vendors, special course fees assessed by the university must be deposited to and expended from state accounts. Special course fees will be reviewed on a regular basis as part of the Academic Fee Audit.

   History: This paper was first issued in 1978 and revised in 1981.

EXAMPLES (keyed to policy's paragraph numbers):

1. Special Course Fees MUST be charged in the following situations:

   1. A geology course has an optional field trip to view glacial formations.

   2. In an art course dealing with metal working, a student elects to make a piece of jewelry out of a precious metal, such as gold, rather than the supplied aluminum.

      An art student is required to prepare two weavings for a course and is provided materials to complete the project. The student decides to complete an additional weaving.

2. Special Course Fees MAY be charged in the following situations:

   1. A non-music major is taking private piano lessons.

   2. A student is taking an art course where the use of leather results in a belt kept by the student.

   3. A student is taking a course where the course involves a required bus trip and admission to a museum.

   4. A magazine subscription is required for a radio/television course due to changing technology.

   5. The principal text for a geography course is provided through the Textbook Rental Program. The geography department provides a supplementary map book to students that the students will retain.

      A chemistry lab manual is used by the students to record lab results.

   6. a. A student is required to take a physical education course as a degree requirement. The student elects to take a scuba diving course to satisfy this requirement. The Phy Ed department contracts with a local vendor for air tank filling and for rental of the equipment necessary for each student. The scuba diving course is not required for any university offered major/minor.

      b. A student is required to take a physical education course as a degree requirement. Horseback riding is offered with a special course fee. Golf is an acceptable alternative course which meets the degree requirement and is offered with no special fee. A special course fee may be charged for horseback riding.

3. Special Course Fees MAY NOT be charged in the following situations:

   1. Breakage fees beyond normal wear and tear for glassware for students enrolled in chemistry courses.

   2. OSHA equipment requirements of safety shields, respirators, eye wash equipment, etc.

   3. Duplicated materials such as assignments, syllabi, etc.

   4. Computer access required in an accounting course.

      Use of a CAD/CAM or LOTUS software program in an architecture course.

      Use of a chemistry laboratory.

   5. Specimens for a biology course.

4. The following are PERSONAL expenses of students:

   1. Lunch on a required field trip.

   2. Bus fare for clinical nurses to travel to local hospitals.

   3. Gymnasium dress for physical education classes.

      Health and safety supplies such as ear plugs, hairnets, goggles, microshields, etc.

   4. Calculators recommended in a math course.

   5. A specific LOTUS template used in an auditing course containing course related problems which replaces a workbook.