Connecticut Public Higher Education Tuition and Student Fee Policy

In accordance with its responsibilities contained within C.G.S. Section 10a-26, the Board of Governors for Higher Education establishes the following statewide tuition and student fee policy for public institutions of higher education:

I. Principles Underlying Tuition Policy

1. Rationality and Predictability – The tuition policy should be rational and predictable. The tuition policy should balance the impact of tuition rate setting on the institution and the student with consideration given to the short and long-term program needs of the institution and the financial burdens placed on the student.

2. Access – A tuition policy should ensure that needy students are not disenfranchised. As student costs rise under any policy or set of fiscal conditions, state and institutional student financial assistance budgets must be adjusted accordingly.

3. Equity – A tuition policy should be imposed fairly and should eliminate artificial barriers that treat differently the same types of students within each constituent unit. Students should not be assessed different tuition charges for the same courses depending on whether they are full or part-time, enrolled during the day or at night, or take the same course on-campus or off-campus.

4. Adaptability – A statewide tuition policy must be flexible enough to adapt to changing federal and state funding policies, it must relate to the Connecticut budgetary structure, and it must insure continuity in addressing long-range unit resource planning.

5. Cost Beneficial – A tuition policy must consider the cost/benefit to both the student and the state. The balance between student and state support should be based on an understanding of the value placed on an educated population and the expected returns of the college experience.

II. Tuition Policy Structure

1. The setting of tuition and certain fee rates shall be linked to the educational and general (E&G) budget structure within the operating fund. The components of the E&G budget for each constituent unit are defined in Appendix A. All units shall come under this policy except the UConn Health Center and Charter Oak State College, two units where cost sharing tuition policies are not easily applied. (A separate and distinct tuition and fee policy for the UConn Health Center is contained in Appendix C.) The linkage mechanism shall be tuition and certain fee revenues as defined in Appendix A, interest earnings, and projected expenditures of accumulated reserves as a percentage of the E&G actual expenditures base for the fiscal year two years prior to the budget request year.

2. The boards of trustees for each constituent unit shall ensure that the student share of the requested E&G budget falls within the prescribed percentage range of the unit’s net E&G budget (defined in Appendix A) for the fiscal year two years prior to the budget request year as provided below. In the event that the student share does not fall within the prescribed percentage range, the constituent unit will present plans to the Board of Governors that describe what conditions exist to impede compliance and what actions are necessary to move into compliance.

	Minimum	Maximum
UConn	30%	35%
CSU	30%	35%
Community-Technical Colleges	25%	30%

The student share shall be defined for purposes of this policy as net E&G revenues and shall include anticipated tuition and certain fee revenues for all regular academic credit instruction, projected expenditures of accrued interest earnings, and projected expenditures of accumulated reserves as listed in Appendix A.

The board of trustees for each constituent unit shall be cognizant of the impact of tuition and fee rate adjustments on the student share of the E&G budget. Notwithstanding the above, in no year shall tuition (as defined in Appendix A) for any student increase by more than 15 percent from the preceding year. However, if in any year a constituent unit cannot achieve its minimum net E&G revenue floor without tuition increases greater than 15 percent, the minimum tuition increase for that unit shall be15 percent for that year. Additionally, units shall maintain, within reasonable limits, the current differentiation of tuition rates by student level and residency status. Current differentiation ratios for each unit are listed in Appendix A. In accordance with sections 10a-77, 10a-83, 10a-99, and 10a-105 C.G.S., the Board of Governors shall review and make recommendations on all constituent unit tuition and fee rate proposals for adherence to this policy.

III. Student Financial Aid Set-Aside

Student financial assistance shall be linked to this tuition policy. An amount equal to a minimum of 15 percent of projected tuition revenues shall be set-aside by each constituent unit to provide financial assistance to needy students in the form of tuition waivers, remissions, student employment, or grants. The Connecticut State University may request a modification of this requirement when implementation of its tuition equalization proposal commences.

IV. Use of Reserves

Reserves within the operating fund should provide a mechanism to set-aside funds for general contingencies and to support specific major projects which because of their size and scope cannot normally be supported within any one annual operating budget. The board of trustees for each of the constituent units shall develop a policy governing the establishment and maintenance of fund balance reserves within the operating fund to provide for major planning and/or improvement initiatives provided that a list of such designated reserves be included as part of the biennial operating budget request. Such list shall include a description of the respective purposes of the reserves and an estimate of when these funds are to be expended.

V. Tuition Equalization; Other Fee Policies

Tuition equalization continues to be a goal of the Board of Governors for Higher Education to be achieved as funding permits and in conjunction with other unit and state priorities. The Connecticut State University is encouraged to continue its efforts to replace the current tuition and fee system which differentiates between full and part-time student status with a system which charges all students prorated tuition and fee charges. However, the new system should establish tuition charges based on costs of the E&G budget as defined in Appendix A and should ensure that the university general fee supports only those costs defined as auxiliary enterprises in Appendix A.

Appendix B contains a listing of all other fee related policies of the Board of Governors.

VI. Health Center Tuition and Fee Policy

The setting of tuition and fees at the UConn Health Center shall continue to be guided by the existing Board of Governor’s policy contained in Appendix C.

4/94

Appendix A

Tuition Policy Definitions

I. Structure of Operating Budget

The operating budget consists of all current funds, revenues and expenditures within the general fund, operating fund, research fund and other statutorily established funds. It is composed of two major operational areas – the Educational and General (E&G) budget and the Auxiliary Enterprise budget as defined for each unit below.

A. Definition of the E&G Budget

Revenue Sources:

· General Fund Appropriations

· E & G tuition revenue – current tuition plus shift of all general university fee, technology fee and college service fee (auxiliary service) revenues except those listed as auxiliary enterprises under Section B below.

· Credit and Non-Credit Extension Revenues

· Federal Appropriations, Grants and Contracts

· Private Gifts, Grants and Donations

· Miscellaneous Fees (i.e. registration fees, late fees, lab fees, transcript fees)

· Miscellaneous Revenues Used to Support E&G Activities (i.e. book store commissions, food service commissions)

Expenses:

All expenses associated with functions of:

· Instruction

· Research

· Public Service

· Academic Support

· Libraries

· Student Services

· Institutional Support

· Operation and Maintenance of Plant

· Scholarships and Fellowships (not including statutory waivers)

(except those listed as auxiliary enterprises below)

Included in this definition are all administrative overhead costs currently supported through auxiliary services revenues (i.e. institutional support positions).

Expenses Used in Tuition Setting Calculation:

For FY 2002, all E&G expenses will be included in the base for tuition setting purposes except:

· Federal Appropriations, Grants and Contracts

· Private Gifts, Grants and Donations

· Miscellaneous Revenues as Defined Above

· Non-Credit and Contract Course Extension Revenues

In addition, projected revenue losses associated with statutory waivers may be deducted from required revenue target.

B. Definition of Auxiliary Enterprises

University of Connecticut

Revenue Sources:

Infrastructure Maintenance Fee (associated with costs listed above)

General University Fee (associated with costs listed below)

Housing Fees

Food Service Fees

Parking Fees

Parking Fines

Room Deposit Fees

Athletics Revenue

Auditorium Revenue

Expenses:

Jorgensen Auditorium

Intercollegiate Athletics (including scholarships)

Health Services

Self-Liquidating Bonds

UConn 2000 Bonds

Student Activities and Union Program

Student Dormitories

Food Service Operations (Department of Food Services and Department of Student Commissaries)

Connecticut State University

Revenue Sources:

University General Fee (associated with costs listed below)

University Fee (self-liquidating bond fee)

Housing fees

Food Service Fees

Child Care Fees

Parking Fines

Room Deposit Fees

Expenses:

Athletics (including scholarships)

Health Services

Self-Liquidating Bonds

Parking Garages/Shuttle Bus Services

Student Accident Insurance

Student Activities and Union Program

Student Dormitories

Food Service Operations

Book Stores

Child Care Centers

Community-Technical Colleges

Possibly Book Stores and Food Services (under further review)

II. Definitions for Tuition Policy and Tuition Rate Setting Purposes

1. Definition of Budget

For the purposes of this tuition and fee policy the definition budget is limited to the E&G budget within the General/Operating Fund only.

B. Net E&G Revenues (Student Share)

Net E&G revenues (used as the numerator in determining compliance with student share revenue target) include:

· all projected tuition revenues and fees revenues as defined for each unit below (excluding refunds):

UConn - Tuition and credit extension fees (excluding contracted courses)

CSU - Tuition, credit extension fees (excluding contracted courses), E&G

portion of General University Fee

CTC - Tuition, credit extension fees (excluding contracted courses),

college services fees

· projected accrued interest earnings (E&G related or prorated), and

· projected expenditure of accumulated reserves (E&G related or prorated)

3. Net E&G Budget

For purposes of determining required revenue target, the Net E&G budget (used as the expenditure base) shall include all E&G expenses defined above except the following:

· Federal Appropriations, Grants and Contracts

· Private Gifts, Grants and Donations

· Miscellaneous Revenues as Defined Above

· Non-credit and Contract Course Extension Revenues

4. Definition of Tuition for Purposes of Maximum Annual Rate Increase

For purposes of the annual rate of tuition increase permitted under the policy, the definition of tuition for each unit includes the following:

· UConn - (1) Tuition and (2) Credit Extension Fees

· CSU - (1) Tuition Plus University General Fee (note: this definition will

change when tuition equalization plan is implemented) and (2)

Credit Extension Fees plus prorated University General Fee (where

appropriate)

· CTCs- (1) Tuition Plus College Services Fee and (2) Credit Extension

Fees

5. Current Differentiation of Tuition Rates By Student Level and Residency Status

	Undergraduate	Graduate
University of Connecticut
Resident	1.00	1.23
Non-Resident	3.00	3.20
NEBHE	1.50	1.85

	Undergraduate	Graduate
Connecticut State University*
Resident	1.00	1.20
Non-Resident	2.70	3.00
NEBHE	1.38	1.66

*Tuition includes tuition and university general fee.

	Undergraduate	Graduate
Community-Technical Colleges*
Resident	1.00	-
Non-Resident	3.00	-
NEBHE	1.46	-

*Tuition includes tuition and university general fee.

Appendix B

Other Board of Governors Fee Policies

86-BGF17-B

Resolution of the Board of Governors on Student Fee Policies

WHEREAS the Board of Governors for Higher Education is committed to insuring equity in educational costs for all students and to obtaining adequate, equitable and consistent state financial support for all students, and

WHEREAS the Board of Governors has reviewed the current practices and policies, as well as major fiscal and enrollment trends, affecting the operation of the educational extension and auxiliary services funds as contained in the attached Department of Higher Education staff study, “A Study of Student Fee Policies in Connecticut Public Higher Education,” be it

RESOLVED that the Board of Governors for Higher Education adopts the following student fee policy guidelines for the University of Connecticut, Connecticut State University, Regional Colleges and State Technical Colleges:

General

· As a general goal, all regular session instruction offered for credit should be supported by general funds and tuition funds.

· The use of education extension funds to support credit instruction other than credit instruction provided through contractual agreement shall be permitted, but shall be limited in scope. Per credit hour fees for these courses shall be set equal to the per credit hour tuition rates at the appropriate instructional level.

· As a general goal, the use of educational extension funds should be limited to non-credit courses and courses offered under contractual arrangement.

· Constituent units shall not use auxiliary services funds to support educational and general expenses, but shall shift these costs to the tuition fund and/or general fund.

· All constituent units shall develop auxiliary services fund policies which minimize the number of different mandatory fees charged and establish uniformity within the constituent unit with respect to the number and types of fees charged.

86-BGF17-B (cont.)

Fee Review and Approval

· A two-tier review and approval process is established. Tier I fees shall consist of all mandatory fee charges, educational extension fund fees, and housing and food services fees. Tier II fees shall consist of non-mandatory fee charges, fees used to support student-managed activities, user charges, non-credit education extension fund fees and fees which generally are not increased each year in response to inflationary pressures. Review and approval of these fees shall be made in accordance with the recommendations contained in the staff report.

University of Connecticut

In addition to the general guidelines listed above, the University of Connecticut shall:

· transfer the personal services costs in the evening law school currently supported by the tuition fund to general fund support,

· redesign its current prorated tuition schedule so that students taking the fewest credits pay the highest cost per credit,

· phase out the non-resident fee to out-of-state undergraduate students, and

· support the off-campus Master of Business Administration program, with tuition equalized to prevailing graduate rates for in-state and out-of-state students, through the general/tuition fund.

Connecticut State University

In addition to the general guidelines listed above, the Connecticut State University shall:

· establish a proportional or regressive, prorated tuition scale for part-time students,

· establish consistent policies regarding the payment of the University General Fee so that part-time students are charged on a prorated bases,

· establish a consistent policy concerning University General Fee charges to graduate students, and

· revise its State University fee policy so that part-time students are charged on a prorated basis, and be it further

86-BGF17-B (cont.)

RESOLVED that implementation of these policy guidelines shall be phased in over five years beginning in FY 1988 in accordance with the recommendations contained in the attached staff report, “A Study of Student Fee Policies in Connecticut Public Higher Education,” and shall be contingent upon the receipt of sufficient state appropriations.

6/17/86

Appendix C

Health Center Tuition Policy

RESOLVED that the Board of Governors for Higher Education, subject to its responsibilities contained in Section 10a-6 of the Connecticut General Statutes, approve the following policy for establishing tuition levels at the University of Connecticut Health Center:

1. Tuition and required fee rates at the UConn Health Center medical and dental schools shall be set at between the 70^th and 75^th percentile of tuition/required fee charges at public medical and public dental schools respectively. Consistent with the annual increase ceiling included in the policy adopted for other units, UConn Health Center tuition and required fees for undergraduate medical and dental students shall not increase by more than 15 percent for one year to the next.

2. The data base for determining the percentile factor will come from tuition/fee data reported annually by the American Association of Medical Schools and the American Dental Association. Adjustments to the data base to account for inflation from the point in time the data is reported to the fiscal year in which the new Health Center tuition rates will take effect will be negotiated between DHE staff and Health Center staff. Negotiations will center on the choice of the most appropriate inflation index for costs associated with medical and dental educational programs.

3. Paralleling the overall tuition policy for the higher education system, student financial assistance supported by tuition revenues (15 percent) shall be earmarked for financial assistance programs to needy students.

Rev. 5/94