Budget & Finance

Navigate this Section

Fall 2022 Fee Referendum

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Referendum Results & Approvals

Information Pamphlet

 

SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
PROPOSED EXPANDED STUDENT SUCCESS FEE

Within this voter pamphlet “SDSU” refers to the SDSU campus located in San Diego. “SDSU Imperial Valley” refers to the SDSU campus located in Imperial Valley. There is no change to the Student Success Fee charged to students enrolled at SDSU.

Shall the mandatory Student Success Fee in place at SDSU be expanded to students enrolled at SDSU Imperial Valley effective Fall 2023?  The proposed fee level per semester, if this fee is approved, will be consistent with the amount charged to regularly-enrolled students at San Diego State University.

Background

Over the past two decades state support for SDSU has been unreliable with several years of budget reductions, and the majority of the funding being allocated for a specific purpose, leaving the campus with little to no discretionary funding. In response to several recent years of unpredictable state-support for SDSU, the administration developed a new financial model for the university. This included pursuing multiple ways to enhance campus resources. One example was the successful comprehensive campaign that has provided significant funds for student scholarships.

In spring of 2014 the students of San Diego State University supported, through feedback received during the alternative consultation process, to implement a Student Success Fee; however, this fee was not applied to regularly-enrolled students at SDSU Imperial Valley. Consequently, these students were not able to benefit from the expanded resources funded by the Student Success Fee.

The additional revenue from the Student Success Fee allowed the university to pursue a primary initiative in advancing student success: increasing tenured/tenure-track faculty. The hiring of additional faculty primarily contributes to student success by increasing the number of course sections available to ensure timely graduation. These additional faculty also expand learning opportunities outside of the classroom through research and creative endeavors.

Since the Student Success Fee was implemented at San Diego State University, 82 additional faculty members have been hired, resulting in hundreds of additional course sections offered per year. Students at San Diego have also been able to access $9m through Academic Related Programs, which is another way for students to enrich their academic journey outside of the classroom. The program funds student proposals for activities such as conferences, workshops, and team projects. Since 2014 there have been over 1,600 proposals with over 700 of them being awarded.

In support of the university’s 2020-2025 strategic plan “We Rise We Defy: Transcending Borders, Transforming Lives” goal of fostering an interconnected and equitable SDSU experience for our students, deepening the quality of learning inside and outside of the classroom, and advancing student success, in Spring 2021 the president approved a phased in alignment of fees between SDSU and SDSU Imperial Valley. This plan includes expanding the Student Success Fee to SDSU Imperial Valley students if approved via a student fee referendum.

 

Uses of Student Success Fee Revenue

This referendum is not creating a new Student Success Fee or increasing the existing fee - it is aligning the student success fee and associated benefits at SDSU Imperial Valley with those at SDSU. The Student Success Fee would be used for the same purpose that it is currently used for; however, expanding the fee to all students will ensure Imperial Valley students also benefit from the hiring of additional faculty and expanded academic related programs.

Increasing the number of faculty would result in a net gain of course sections available to students and contribute to their educational experience.  90% of the fee would be used to hire tenure-track faculty, as well as visiting professors / lecturers to increase course sections. The remaining 10% of the fee would be dedicated to enhancing student success at the college level through expanded academic related programs. Guidelines for allowable academically-related uses will be recommended by a student majority Student Success Fee Advisory sub-committee of the Campus Fee Advisory Committee (CFAC) and allocations will be reviewed annually. Student Success Fee is solely earmarked for the purpose of hiring additional faculty and providing students with opportunities to enrich their academic experience. Costs associated with administering Student Success Fee are borne by the institution, not the fee.

Summary of the Issue

A Recommendation in favor of the proposed fee increase means:

1. Students enrolled at SDSU Imperial Valley will pay the Student Success Fee.
2. There is no change to the Student Success Fee charged to students enrolled at SDSU.
3. The frequency and number of course sections offered to enable Imperial Valley students to complete their degrees within four years will be increased.
4. The number of tenured/tenure-track faculty who provide the leadership for Imperial Valley’s academic programs will be increased.
5. Students enrolled at the Imperial Valley campus will be eligible to submit proposals for Student Success Fee – Academic Related Program funding to support new or expand existing academically-related programs or initiatives.

A Recommendation in opposition to the establishment of the proposed Student Success fee increase means:

1. Students enrolled at SDSU Imperial Valley will not pay the Student Success Fee.
2. There is no change to the Student Success Fee charged to students enrolled at SDSU.
3. Revenues from a student success fee will not be available to support an increase in course sections offered at the Imperial Valley campus.
4. Revenues from a student success fee will not be available to support new tenured/tenure-track faculty positions at the Imperial Valley campus.
5. Students enrolled at the Imperial Valley campus will not be eligible submit proposals for Student Success Fee – Academic Related Program funding to support new or expand existing academically-related programs or initiatives.

Financial Analysis

The proposed expanded Student Success Fee, if adopted, will impose the existing Student Success Fee on regularly enrolled students at SDSU Imperial Valley, beginning Fall 2023. The fee will be phased in over five years, similar to how the fee was originally phased in at SDSU. The Student Success Fee increases annually based on the Higher Education Price Index (HEPI). The exact level of the fee in the fifth year will be determined by how much HEPI increases until that time; for planning purposes, it can be assumed to increase 3% per year. The fee will be phased in over a five-year period as shown in the table below.

Fee Implementation Schedule
(SDSU provided for reference only)

^aAnnual Fee fee increase based on Higher Education Price Index (assume 3% per year)

Consistent with the existing Student Success Fee, ninety percent of these new funds will be used to hire approximately 4 additional tenure-track faculty and one visiting professor to support approximately 24 additional course sections for SDSU Imperial Valley. The remaining ten percent of the revenue will be allocated to fund academically related programs and follow the established Student Success Fee - Academic Related Program proposal process. The following table provides the impact on faculty hiring and course sections.

 

^[b]Includes adding a visiting professor / lecturer (year 1) and four tenure / tenure track faculty (years 2–5)
^[c]Tenure / tenure track faculty teach an average of 2-3 courses per semester

Voter pamphlet approved by the Campus Fee Advisory Committee (CFAC).

The Student Success Fee may be rescinded by a majority vote of the students, with the following exceptions:

1. The Student Success Fee shall not be rescinded earlier than six years following a vote to implement the fee.
2. If any portion of the Student Success Fee is committed to support a long-term obligation, that portion of the fee shall not be rescinded until the obligation has been satisfied. In this case, the 90% allocated to faculty is considered a long-term obligation.

Submit a comment/question to CFAC at [email protected]