Requests for Changes, Deletions or New Course Associated Special Fees
Requests for changes, deletions or new course associated special fees, including distance education courses, effective for the 2014-2015 academic year are due no later than Monday, November 5. Requests should be submitted electronically through the Special Fees module in NUgrant. Get started by logging into NUgrant and selecting Special Fee Forms. When submitting your request, justification must be included for each course and special fee to receive approval.
Approval of special fees indicates that a course has been approved to collect fees and does not guarantee that a fee will automatically be collected. It is the department's responsibility to indicate, each semester, when approved fees are to be collected on Registration & Records' Schedule of Classes worksheet. Requests do not need to be submitted for already approved special fees, unless a change or deletion is being requested.
Additional information and materials are available as resources in this process.
Approval Process Overview and Timeline
Only those course-associated special fees that are published in the online Schedule of Classes may be collected. Newly approved course-associated special fees that are to be collected for the first time in the subsequent fall must be published in the fall Schedule of Classes. Departments should work directly with Registration and Records on having fees appear in the fall Schedule of Classes while they are under review.
Professional fees are distinct and separate from special fees which are associated to a course number. Please contact Academic Affairs regarding the approval process of professional fees.
Timeline and Approval Process
Early Fall
In early fall, the Academic Deans are asked to request from their departments changes, deletions or new course-associated special fees that are to be effective beginning with the fall term of the following academic year. The requests are submitted to the college deans offices through NUgrant.
November 5
Deans submit the requests made by their departments to Academic Affairs via NUgrant. Special Fees Request Forms submitted after this date will not be processed until the next annual review period.
Mid-November
An advisory committee, consisting of three faculty members and two ASUN student representatives reviews and makes recommendations on the requests for changes, deletions or new course associated special fee requests.
December/January
The Senior Vice Chancellor presents the proposed fees list and recommendations to the Chancellor.
March 1
The Chancellor notifies the Senior Vice Chancellor of his recommendations for approval and the list is prepared for submission to the President. Deans are notified of the fees that will be forwarded for approval and those that were not recommended for approval. A list of the recommended fees is also distributed to Registration and Records, Student Accounts and Scholarships and Financial Aid.
Special Fees Definitions and Guidelines
According to the Board of Regents policy RP-5.9.3 Reporting of Laboratory Fees, "a laboratory fee i.e. special fee, is defined as a charge made to students to underwrite, in whole or in part, the cost of services, rentals, and consumable supplies utilized in a laboratory environment."
In preparing your request, please keep in mind the following definitions and guidelines:
Definition of laboratory: Laboratories for which fees may be charged include any space in which students work with equipment and materials to enhance their skills. Examples include but are not limited to writing labs, non-general use computer labs, design labs, studios, chemistry labs, biological labs and engineering labs.
Allowable Expenses: Expenses associated with a laboratory which are to be recouped through course-associated special fees are limited to either:
(1) unique costs, that is, unusual and particular costs associated with that course or
(2) physical materials which the student consumes during or takes away from the course. Examples of these expenses include (but are not limited to): rental and gas for a van for a course requiring a field trip, supplies to be consumed during a printmaking course, educational tests to be administered by students in a course on educational measurements, specialized software needed by students who are studying graphic design or textiles; personnel included in the context of the subject being taught, i.e. art models, accompanist for vocal music; food included in the context of the subject being taught such as an etiquette dinner for discussion in an employment seminar.
Not Allowable Expenses: Expenses for which course associated laboratory special fees may not be charged include:
(1) Personnel outside the context of the subject being taught, i.e. salary of instructor.
(2) Food purchased for human consumption outside the context of the subject being taught, i.e. lunch purchased for students while on field trip.
(3) Expenses for computers, printers, general purpose software and other equipment used in general use laboratories. Colleges are expected to utilize their portion of the Student Technology Fee for these types of expenses.
Justification: Justification is requested in the Special Fees Request Form and it should be specific and clear to someone not familiar with the course. List examples of consumables. If software, state why it is particular to the course. If equipment, state why unique to the course.
Minimum fee and increase: The minimum fee to be collected on a single course is $5. Special fee increases on an active course must be divisible by five.