Technology Fee

Background

On March 25, 1996, the Governor of the State of Washington approved the Second Substitute House Bill 2293 enabling technology fees, separate from tuition fees, to be established and charged to each enrolled student at institutions of higher education with the written agreement of respective student government associations and the governing board of each institution. Any technology fee could not exceed one hundred twenty dollars ($120) for a full-time student; a part-time student would be calculated as a pro rata share of the fee charged to a full-time student.

Revenue from this fee shall be used exclusively for technology resources for general student use. The student government association shal1 approve the annual expenditure plan for the fee revenue. Three and one-half percent (3-1/2%) of revenues from the technology fee shall be deposited into the institutional financial aid fund under RCW 28B.15.820.

The technology fee is charged to student to recover, in whole or in part, the costs of providing and maintaining services to students that include, but need not be limited to: access to the internet and world wide web, e-mail, computer and multimedia work stations and laboratories, computer software, and dial-up telephone services.

The Board of Directors of the Associated Students of Central Washington University chose to implement a graduated fee payment plan for full-time students with freshmen being required to pay the mandatory student technology fee of $25.00 beginning Fall, 1996. By Fall, 1998, all students were required to pay the mandatory $25.00 student technology fee. This includes students at the University Centers.

A Technology Fee Committee was also established as an oversight committee to fulfill the role of Section 1, Subsection 5 of the Second Substitute House Bill 2293: The Technology Fee Committee shall be chaired by a student who is appointed by the ASCWU President. Five (5) additional student seats shall be appointed by the ASCWU-BOD. Three (3) other seats shall be determined by the University, but shall not be filled by anyone who is employed through the Office of Computing and Telecommunication Services (CTS).

The annual expenditure plan shall come before the ASCWU-BOD for final approval. All supplemental funding and non-annual funded projects shall be left to the jurisdiction of the Technology Fee Committee.

The chair of the Technology Fee Committee and the Director, Computing and Telecommunication Services, as non-voting advisor, shall make quarterly reports to the ASCWU-BOD.

The University has kept its commitment to technology by providing two (2) full-time technology service employees for student needs out of state funded resources, not from the student technology fee revenues. The University also acquires, updates and maintains computer workstations in the computer labs out of state funded monies. Computer laboratories in the residence halls are outside of the resources generated by the technology fee and questions and concerns regarding these labs should be directed to the Office of Residential Services, Button Hall, phone: (509) 963-1831.

A Strategic Plan was presented to President Nelson during Winter Quarter 1997 and a revised plan was submitted Spring Quarter 1998. It focused on future plans for student technology and detailed the change toward a student-oriented approach to technology.

Benefits of the Technology Fee

The number of academic computer laboratories and accessibility to them has been greatly expanded from the 11 computer laboratories established by the University prior to the establishment of the Student Technology Fee. As of summer 1998, 27 student computer labs had been established. Much of the revenue generated by the fee to date has gone to cover the costs of hiring student laboratory assistants who monitor and assist users in the laboratories, and the cost of printing materials the students have produced. One of the challenges for the future will be to more efficiently schedule the laboratories in order to meet student demand without opening laboratories when it is not necessary. Students are now able to connect directly to their network account providing a more client-server environment. Any questions or concerns should be directed to the Associated Students of Central Washington University, SUB 116. MS: 7448, phone: (509) 963-1693.

Request for Waiver

The legislation did not provide for the ability to waive the student technology fee for any students. The Technology Fee Committee discussed this issue and determined that no request for waiver would be accepted and/or approved. Central Washington University's Assistant Attorney General, after consulting with the Attorney General's education authority in Olympia, agreed that there could be no request for waiver accepted and/or approved. Students with concerns in this area may write to the Associated Students of Central Washington University to express their opinion to the Student Technology Fee Committee.

Safe Ride Fee

Background

The Central Washington University Safe Ride/Escort Program is a direct result of a Designated Driver and Safe Ride Program grant which was obtained from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. The grant provided for the implementation and operation of a Designated Driver and Safe Ride Program beginning Winter Quarter, 1998 and continuing through Summer Quarter, 1999.

The purpose of the Designated Driver and Safe Ride Program was to offer the Central Washington University student population a safe means of transportation or escort service as needed. This service would be available to any CWU student who desired an escort to their residence hall, home, CWU library, automobile or any other location within its operational area during certain designated hours.

Over the time this service was available, the Designated Drive and Safe Ride Program received requests from individual students, student activists and the ASCWU-BOD to expand to include longer hours and transportation availability at off campus university sponsored events, i.e., concerts at the Kittitas County Fairgrounds.

At the conclusion of the grant, it appeared that many CWU students wanted the program to continue. In an effort to obtain funding, the students requested that a special initiative election be held to allow the students of CWU to participate in the decision making process with regard to the continuation of a service they felt was vital to the climate of the University. The necessary number of signatures were obtained to take the special initiative to the student body. This initiative proposed the establishment of a three dollar ($3) fee per quarter (fall, winter and spring) to begin Fall Quarter 1999, to be assessed to all registered students enrolled at the Ellensburg campus in order to ensure stable funding for these services.

On March 11, 1999, the ASCWU-BOD held a special election to determine whether or not students were willing to pay a three dollar ($3) per quarter student fee to support the Safe Ride Program. The answer was an overwhelming 1249 in favor to 146 opposed. At their meeting of May 14, 1999, the Board of Trustees of Central Washington University approved the assessment of the Safe Ride Fee.

Benefits of the Safe Ride / Escort Program

All Central Washington University Students may be assured of safe transportation from various points within the greater Ellensburg area to their residence halls or homes during designated days and hours during the academic year. The student may wish to use this service for a variety of reasons, e.g., to avoid dangerous circumstances or when they require an escort to their residence; to avoid riding home with someone who may be too intoxicated to safely or legally drive; or who personally is too intoxicated to safely or legally drive. In addition, one non-student guest is allowed to use the service along with the student.

Request for Waiver

No requests for waivers of this fee will be approved. All questions or concerns may be directed to the ASCWU-BOD, SUB116, MS: 7448, phone: (509) 963-1693 or the Student Health and Counseling Center, MS: 7585, phone: (509) 963-1881.

Student Health & Counseling Fee

Background

Traditionally, universities have provided many basic student services, e.g., housing, recreation, social activities, health care and counseling. With regard to health and counseling services, we were fortunate to have state funds to finance these areas and other student services for many years. More recently, however, the amount allocated by the state for student services has been continually reduced; in fact, our legislature has not provided adequate funding for health and counseling services for almost twenty years. The reduced amount that was provided in the budget, coupled with the restrictions placed on the appropriation, made it impossible to maintain acceptable levels of services.

Following a review of the budget problem by the University Budget Committee, the Board of Trustees approved a $10.00 mandatory health and counseling fee beginning with the 1983-84 academic year. This fee is charged to each student attending classes at the Ellensburg campus enrolled for more than two credits to provide financial support for the Student Health and Counseling Center. The ASCWU-BOD was also informed during Spring Quarter 1983 of the necessity of such an obligatory fee.

Mandatory charges for health and counseling services are not uncommon among state and private institutions. In fact, most of the four year public universities in our state had been charging fees for such services prior to the inception of Central's fee.

Subsequently, the fees were increase as follows: 1985 - $13.00/quarter; 1987 - $15.00/quarter and in June, 1989, the Vice President for Student Affairs recommended an increase in the mandatory Health and Counseling Fee to $21.00 to be charged to all campus-based students enrolled for six or more credits, up from the more than two credits that had been in effect. This increase was approved by the Board of Trustees beginning with the 1989-90 academic year.

The fee increased again in 1991 to $25.00 and in 1996 to $40.00. In 1995-96, conversations were held between the ASCWU-BOD and the Student Health Advisory Committee regarding a needed fee increase. It was decided that we should not use a gradual fee increase process, but move directly to establish a fee that was comparable with other state-supported institutions. In fact, in reality, our new fee was still less than other regional universities. For the 1997-98 academic year the fee remained at $40.00 per quarter. Additionally, a $25.00 Summer Health and Counseling Fee was approved for summer session 1997. Effective Fall Quarter 1998, the mandatory fee for the academic year increase while the fee for summer session remained at $25.00.

Benefits of the Health and Counseling Fee

The Student Health and Counseling Center is a fully staffed outpatient medical and counseling center located on the Central Washington University Ellensburg campus in close proximity to student residence halls. The staff at the Center offers a wide range of medical and counseling services available to all students enrolled in six or more credits attending campus-based classes. Many of the services are without charge and others have a minimal fee attached; usually at a much lower rate than those charged by the clinics within the Ellensburg community. The mission of the Central Washington University Health and Counseling Center is to facilitate the academic achievement and personal growth of a diverse student population by providing prevention and wellness education, direct medical care, counseling, and outreach in residence halls and classrooms to benefit students and the University community. The Center is dedicated to meeting student needs with positive, proactive, cost-effective delivery of quality, up-to-date services.

Request for Waivers

The only students who may have the mandatory Health and Counseling Fee waived are those who are enrolled for less than six on campus credits per quarter and those who have no access to the health services, e.g., who commute to CWU from out of the county for night classes only on the evenings that the Health and Counseling Center is not open and those who are based out of Kittitas County for classes such as student teaching and internships. Any request for waiver must be in writing to the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, 400 E. University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98927-7432.

Athletic Fee

Background

During the 1996-97 academic year, a review of athletic programs was conducted due to the difficult financial situation the Athletic Program found itself in. Up until 1991, the Athletic Program was a part of Academic Affairs. As coaches who were originally hired to both coach and teach moved back entirely into the classroom, the dollars designated for coaching went toward teaching. Due to the separation of the Athletic Program from the Physical Education Department and Academic Affairs, Athletics was left to provide 15 varsity sports with scarce funding consisting primarily of part-time coaches and very small operating and travel budgets. Numerous complaints came in from student athletes and their parents about additional funds the athletes needed to expend in order to participate in these sports.

As the University went through several years of budget reductions, Athletics was a favored target. Due to increasing needs in other areas, Athletics saw a 7% reduction in funding between the years 1991-1995. Application for provisional membership in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 1994-95 was due to a desire to access greater financial resources to assist in funding the successful sports programs for which Central had become known. Students were already contributing approximately 20% of the Services and Activities Fee allocation funds to support Athletics.

Winter Quarter 1997, a student committee chaired by the President of the Associated Students of Central Washington University reviewed the performance of student-athletes, both academically and athletically, as well as financial records of the Athletics Program. Several sports were recommended for elimination in 1998-1999: wrestling, baseball, men's soccer, and men's and women's cross-country. A Faculty Committee, reviewing the same records, recommended no reduction in sports. A Student Athletic Committee recommended the establishment of a mandatory fee which all students at the Ellensburg campus would pay. Approximately 1,500 signatures were obtained from students in order to place a referendum in front of the entire student body to determine whether sports would be cut or a mandatory quarterly fee would be implemented.

It was determined that in order to maintain the Athletic Program at its current level, funding would have to be cut from some or all of the following Student Affairs programs: Disabled Student Services, Career Development Services, Wildcat Wellness, Financial Aid, the Center for Student Empowerment and the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. Already anticipating a 5% reduction in funds due to tight budgets, the only solution would be to cut the five athletic programs mentioned earlier.

In the largest voter turn out for an ASCWU-BOD election and vote on a referendum, students voted 3:1 to tax themselves in order to ensure that the same level of athletic opportunities which currently existed on campus would be maintained. The referendum vote was forwarded to the Central Washington University Board of Trustees who voted to approve implementation of a mandatory fee of $35.00 per quarter for all students.

Benefits of the Athletic Fee

The primary benefits of this new fee were that students would be able to attend all home games for free rather than having to pay between $2.00 and $4.00 per game. In addition, five varsity sports would not have to be cut due to lack of funding. On an individual basis, the additional resources generated by the fee would provide student athletes the opportunity to eat balanced meals while traveling on the road for away games.

Most importantly, one of the reasons students indicated they were attracted to Central was because of the opportunity to compete athletically while working on an academic program. For a number of students, the contribution to campus life that athletics played was an important part of the collegiate experience. Learning experiences focusing on team work, self worth, decision-making, citizenship and emotional growth were critical outcomes students felt student-athletes contributed to campus life. For the almost 500 student-athletes on campus, their academic performance annually outstrips the academic performance of non-athletes. In fact, the graduation rate of student-athletes is higher than non-athletes.

Requests for Exemptions

No request for exemptions will be approved for students attending the Ellensburg campus. All oral concerns should be directed to the ASCWU-BOD office in 116 Samuelson Union Building, MS: 7448. All written complaints should be directed to the attention of the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, 204 Bouillon Hall, MS: 7432.