Historic Campus Quality Fee Allocation Accountability Process

Fee Allocation and Accountability Process

Course Materials

  1. Academic Affairs uses the Campus Quality Fee to support academic program fees already in place.
  2. Departments that do not have such fees but wish to get equivalent support may request an allocation. That will be reviewed during the annual budget process.
  3. By mid-August, the Budget Office will project the funds available for the year. Projections are refined once more shortly after the fall census.
  4. By the end of the fall term, the Provost will consult with the Educational Resource Committee (ERC) and the University Planning and Budget Group (UPBG) about these requests. When their feedback is integrated into plans, the Provost will review them a second time in early spring.
  5. The Budget Office then will assemble all materials into the proper form for report to the UPBG, the Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC) and the President.
  6. Each cycle ends with a report of how the allocated funds were spent. This report becomes the basis — rationale, balances, etc. — for explaining the expenditures for the year ahead.

Repurposed Funds ("Freed Funds")

  1. Each year Academic Resources determines the amount of funds that is "freed" because of allocations from the Campus Quality Fee for course materials.
  2. The Provost will use the freed funds to augment the course schedule.
  3. At the end of the year, Academic Affairs will report to the ERC, the UPBG and the SFAC on the effects of this repurposing.

Technology and Student Support Services

  1. During the months of February and March before the following school year, consultations are held to determine needs and opportunities.
    1. For technology, these consultations take place with the appropriate standing technology support committees and representative bodies recommended by Associated Students.
    2. For student support services, consultations with the appropriate units (e.g., the Student Affairs Management Council and the Student Service Center Directors), academic administrators (e.g., Provost Council and Associate Deans) as well as representative bodies recommended by Associated Students.
  2. Opportunities and needs identified in the consultations will be synthesized into a survey.
    • For technology, survey items will take into account California State University initiatives to ensure that fee-based plans complement systemwide expenditures on systemwide initiatives without duplication.
    • Surveys are administered to a representative sample of students in October and in April before the following school year.
  3. Before December and again prior to the end of the spring term, the Vice Presidents review the survey results and consult with the Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC) and the University Planning and Budget Group (UPBG) prior to recommending specific allocations to the President.The President is the final decision-making authority for technology allocations. 
    • The goal is to prioritize positive effects for students while using the minimum amount allocated in a given year.
  4. Typically, the cycle for funding will be: By mid-August, the Budget Office projects the funds available for the upcoming year. These projections refine prior assumptions made in target-setting the previous year and are refined once more after fall census.
    • A report of how the allocated funds were spent during the immediately preceding terms will be submitted to the SFAC.
      • This report, which complements the survey, becomes part of the basis — rationale, balances, etc.— for explaining the expenditures for the year ahead.

Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) Funding 

  1. The availability of additional funds for IRA is dependent upon the redirection of the athletic fees administered by Associated Students.
  2. If additional funds are allocated for Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) funding, they will be added to the IRA fund allocated by the IRA Board.
  3. The annual end-of-year report is submitted by the IRA Board to the University Planning and Budget Group (UPBG) and the Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC) for review, comment and accountability.

Athletic Operating Funds, Facilities and Equipment

  1. Plans for disbursement are developed annually during the fall semester before the following school year. 
  2. Beginning in fall and refining through the rest of the year, the Budget Office prepares projections of available funds.
  3. Each year in the fall, the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics reviews priorities and expenditures in the previous year.
    • The Vice President for Administration and Finance consults with Intercollegiate Athletics on priorities.
  4. The department assembles their expenditures and recommends them to the Vice President for Administration and Finance in compliance with the university budget process.
  5. The Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC) and the University Planning and Budget Group (UPBG) will have opportunities to consult in late fall and spring before submission to the President during the CSUN planning process. Final decision-making authority for Intercollegiate Athletic allocations resides with the President.
  6. A report documenting how the allocated funds were spent during the year is submitted to the SFAC.

Athletic Scholarships

  1. The Budget Office prepares projections of available funds.
  2. The Vice President for Administration and Finance consults with the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics regarding scholarship priorities.
  3. The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics coordinates scholarship awards with the Financial Aid and Scholarships Department.
    • Scholarship deadlines are observed for returning athletes.
    • New student athletes' scholarship allocations are not bound by the regular scholarship deadlines.
  4. The Department of Intercollegiate Athletes reports the fund's aggregate expenditures for the academic year to the Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC) along with an explanation of fund balances as well as plans for any surplus funds. 

Student Allocation Fund, 2011-2011

  1. The Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC) will take the lead role in establishing the Student Allocation Committee.
    • For 2008-09, they will work at quickened pace with the Vice President of Student Affairs to complete recommendations of names by early October so that plans can be solicited and implemented in 2008-09.
    • For subsequent years, membership review concludes in March.
  2. The Student Allocation Committee will be composed of seven student members and an ex officio advisor.
    • The Vice Presidents will receive and review the names for the President. The President, however, is the appointing authority.
    • The President appoints the ex officio advisor.
  3. Term of Service is the academic year, eligible for reappointment.
  4. Members must be full-time undergraduate or graduate students in a degree-granting program with a minimum CSUN GPA of 2.75 for undergraduates and 3.50 for graduates. They must be available to serve the entire term.
  5. They cannot be a member of the SFAC.
  6. Subject to budget projections by the Budget Office, annual expenditures cannot exceed $250,000; funds must be spent in the fiscal year on onetime needs.
    • Selection criteria should include scale of impact across numbers of students, alignment with University mission and plans, and feasibility within the time frame.
  7. Spending plans will be reviewed by University Planning and Budget Group (UPBG) and the SFAC. To the extent possible, given constraints of time, they will have formative as well as summative input. They will make recommendations to the President. Final decision-making authority for implementation of the project resides with the President.
  8. The advisor is responsible for submitting the accountability report on the use of funds.
    • UPBG and SFAC will review the accountability report and provide feedback to the Vice Presidents on the use of funds.