CSM Technology Fee Guidelines
[Adopted Spring, 1996]

Technology Fee Rationale and Purpose

Many higher education institutions find it financially difficult to provide adequately for the increasing computing and technology needs of their students. CSM's unique focus and mission make it especially difficult to support rapidly changing technologies since significant needs exist in all programs. CSM is considering the idea of assessing technology fees, as many Colorado public institutions have done, to address these needs based on the following issues:

Therefore, the collection of a technology fee is recommended. The fee is not intended as a use fee and therefore is to be assessed to all students regardless of academic option (major), specific course enrollment, or whether they use resources acquired through the expenditure of technology fee revenues. Revenues derived from the technology fee are intended to augment funds already expended for instructional technology and technology infrastructure. Technology fee revenues are not to be used to supplant or replace current or future budgets, fundraising efforts, or other income sources for technology support and projects.

Administration of Technology Fee

The Technology Fee Committee is established to solicit, review, and select proposals requesting expenditure of technology fee revenues. Since these revenues are derived from a targeted student fee, student participation and oversight is deemed essential in the authorization of fee expenditures. Faculty and administrative involvement are required also to insure that long term program interests are considered appropriately. Therefore, the committee shall consist of 3 undergraduate students appointed by ASCSM, 2 graduate students appointed by GSA, and 5 institutional representatives appointed by the CSM President. In addition to those 5 appointments, the President shall appoint a committee chairperson. The chairperson does not routinely vote on issues considered by the committee, but may vote whenever an issue considered by the committe results in a tie vote. The Committee shall establish operating policies and procedures within the following guidelines:

Guidelines for Use of the Technology Fee

Technology fee expenditures are intended to benefit students throughout their academic careers at CSM by providing access to resources that might otherwise not be available. Therefore, to insure that technology fees are expended legally and appropriately, the following guidelines are established outlining authorized and prohibited uses of the technology fee.

Uses of Technology Fee
  1. Purchase, lease, and maintenance of computer hardware, software, and peripherals. Resources acquired must be routinely available to multiple students in campus public or departmental laboratories or must be a shared resource such as a server or shared resource computer that provides service to, or supports, lab computers, student-owned computers, or student users.

    Examples
    Computer hardware Hardware upgrades (CPU, disk, memory)
    Application software Software upgrades (new versions, etc.)
    Scanners Plotters
    Laser Printers Interface electronics for special needs
    Color Printers Furniture for computer labs
    Tape backup units Utility and Support software

  2. Purchase, lease, and maintenance of central or departmental resources that provide, support, or protect access to the campus network from student-owned computers.

    Examples
    Modems Terminal Adaptors Terminal Servers
    Telephone Lines Cable Connections Network Interfaces
    Routers Bridges Network Wiring
    Diagnostic Hardware/Software Security Software Security Systems

  3. Purchase, lease, and maintenance of instructional technology that substantively improves the learning environment for students.

    Examples
    Cameras (Video, Digital, Still) Computer Projection Systems
    Videoconferencing Equipment Library Technology
    Electronic Subscriptions Electronic Classroom Technology

  4. Student hourly compensation is authorized specifically to compensate students for monitoring, supervising, operating, or supporting equipment and resources that are acquired through the technology fee or that monitor and supervise computer labs run by academic departments during student-use hours. Students otherwise occupied in normal departmental functions such as grading, tutoring, clerical help, data entry, or programming shall not be paid from this fee.
Prohibited Uses of Technology Fee

In general, any use of the technology fee not provided for in the section titled Authorized Uses of Technology Fee is prohibited. Questions may arise from time-to-time, however, that must be discussed by the Technology Fee Committee to determine a solution. Under no circumstances, however, are technology fee revenues to be expended on the following:
  1. Purchase, lease, or maintenance of equipment and software not routinely accessible to multiple students. This includes specialized resources primarily used by faculty or only infrequently used by students, computer systems primarily intended to support or conduct administrative business for the institution, and any equipment to be located in the office or on the desk of any individual (faculty, staff, administrator, graduate student, undergraduate student, etc...) even if selected students are permitted to use it.
  2. Purchase, lease, or maintenance of equipment primarily intended to support research projects or activities. Such resources are typically proprietary to, or use is dominated by, research project or program activities. It is understood, however, that graduate education routinely includes involvement in unfunded and/or funded research projects and activities. Since all graduate students pay technology fees, they may use resources acquired with technology fee revenues to support their educational program. Excessive, exclusive, or unreasonable consumption of resources is prohibited, however.
  3. Non-Student Compensation. Payment of full-time or permanent part-time personnel. Any type of payment other than hourly wages (TAs, RAs, Stipends, Tuition and/or fee reimbursement are all prohibited).
  4. Miscellaneous items as listed below:

    General furniture for offices or classrooms Office supplies
    Facilities Remodeling Travel
    Photocopying (for any reason) Training Costs
Continuance of Technology Fees

The existence of any mandatory fee assessed to CSM students is reviewed and approved annually by the Board of Trustees in accordance with the Institutional Plan for Student Fees and Other Charges. The CSM Institutional Plan was approved by the Board of Trustees in October, 1994. The proposed Technology Fee will be a mandatory, non-waivable fee.

The existence/amount of the Technology Fee will be reviewed annually; the success of how the fee is administered will the reviewed by the Technology Fee Committee, the Associated Students of CSM, and the CSM Budget Committee at least every three years. If a recommendation to discontinue the fee is approved by the Board of Trustees, collection of the fee will cease one year subsequent to BOT approval.

Distribution of Technology Fees

The Technology Fee Committee shall be responsible for the distribution of the fee revenue. It is anticipated that the Committee will decide on the appropriate balance between central computing infrastructure needs and departmental computing needs, including requests from support departments such as the Library. Providing access to students is the goal of the fee. The distribution may vary each year depending upon the submitted proposals and funding decisions of the Committee.

Fee Refunds

Refunds will be permitted as per the CSM Bulletin:

Students requesting refunds must present documents proving a withdrawal has been processed by the Registrar's Office. A refund may be allowed because of withdrawal from the School as a result of serious illness, disabling accident, or military call-up.

Basis of the Fee

The Technology Fee shall be a flat fee, assessed to all students, without regard for the number of credit hours which a student is enrolled. There is not any distinction between resident and non-resident students.

Matching Funds

The revenue generated by the fee will be matched annually by the institution with new funds up to a limit of $250,000 for the first year and will be budgeted based on actual fee revenues in succeeding years. Total revenues from assessed fees and matching funds will be administered within the context of the above guidelines.

Technology Fee Amount

The Technology Fee shall be assessed at the following rates:

Projected Revenue for the 1996-97 Fiscal Year: $239,000.