Fee Transparency Project

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Welcome and Introductions
Approval of Agenda and April 13 minutes
Guest: Kimberly Register
1. Kimberly is here with updates from the UC system about whether campus based fee refunds will be provided for spring 2020.
2. In mid-March when COVID first became an issue, campuses went almost entirely remote. In spring 2020, there was a quick turnaround for remote instruction, with many unknowns and variables. In late spring (end of June), former President Napolitano publicly announced that, because of impacts on students and financial hardship from this transition, housing, dining, and parking refunds were authorized. Campuses were also directed to examine campus based fees to review and see if there were any cases where services were not being provided as intended. If referendum had been collected and paid for, there was a possibility of refunding to students. At the same time, multiple lawsuits were filed for a wide variety of fees, including CBFs. There are current litigations in progress.
3. A third party accounting firm was hired to analyze all campuses. Using same guiding principles and methodology to determine if balances were remaining across campus based fees that might be eligible for refunds for students. This process turned out to be more complicated than originally anticipated.
  1. 10 campuses with different accounting systems.
  2. Difficult to determine referendum from sales.
  3. Language in some places saying refunds prohibited, or language saying that fee was solely for long term or ongoing expenses.
  4. Financial aid was taken out and not eligible for refund.
  5. Revenue less expenses - did another round of review. This second round was the reserves permitted per language of referendum, and the normal spending patterns
  6. Complications of grant expenses.
  7. Increased expenses in spring 2020 due to COVID to offset balanes.
  8. Were there any explicit reduced expenses due to COVID?
  9. Were there any “savings” as a result of COVID that might lead to refunds for students?
  10. Used a three year history comparing against prior years - this was a complication.
4. Santa Cruz has responded fully to the accounting firm.
5. They will provide suggestions, and OP will make decisions.
6. The accounting firm is wrapping up their financial review. OP is working through logistical challenges related to providing refunds. For example, how financial aid impacts would affect students. (There will be no financial aid impacts to students.) They are also working on whether visas would be affected for international students, teaching assistant bargaining contracts, grant-paid student fees for GSRs, and have to define minimum level for small amounts.
7. Kimberly is waiting to hear back what the final result will be. All campuses will know the numbers at the same time. This is for spring 2020 only.
8. Mathew mentions an additional third party accountant visiting. Kimberly says that one third party accounting firm is working for OP regarding spring 2020, she is unsure of other firms contracted.
9. Sherry asks if the accountants are reviewing specifically spring 2020 funds? Kimberly says that the accounting firm is only reviewing spring 2020. The campus was thinking of FY21, but that is not happening at this moment.
10. Mathew asks if they are looking only at refunds? Kimberly says yes, it would be refunds either fully or partially for students.
11. Isaac clarifies about grad student complications? Kimberly says that for the graduate students, there are only two issues being worked through. Part of the compensation package for TAs is partial fees, and figuring out if refunds would be part of employment or student payments. This is being discussed with the bargaining unit. For researchers, the grant pays the grant. Closed grants would be hard to refund.
  1. These refunds would go through AIS likely.
12. Kimberly asks if Athletics and Recreation has any services ongoing? Brynna says they have a few programs.
13. TAPS is trying to have services for students. Lucy adds that they will be coming soon to SFAC to consult this spring.
14. Brynna asks Kimberly if she has a timeline of when UCSC will be receiving the results? Kimberly is not sure, but guesses in a few months. Refunds would likely be in summer. She hopes it can be done by the end of spring.
15. Sherry asks if the office of the president will be making final decisions based on suggestions? Kimberly says OP will be communicating out to each campus what each eligible balance would be.
16. Lucy asks about refunds for students for students no longer enrolled? They would still be entitled, and a check would be mailed to their last known address.
17. Kimberly asks if SFAC would like her to visit again when the suggestions come in? Brynna says that it would be helpful to stay in the loop, but the committee might be adjourned in the summer.
Revisiting previously funded proposals
1. Ranked Evaluation spreadsheet
2. Second pass of highest funded proposals: #6, #22, #34, #19, #25, #23, #2, #18
3. Lucy shares that there may be funding that may be unclaimed from recent years. By the end of the quarter if not all the groups funded have unclaimed reimbursements, there may be additional unclaimed funding that was allocated over the last two years. Possibility to put some of that money into this year’s proposals.
  1. Lisa comments we can provide an estimate of what this would like by the end of next week
  2. Brynna says she has done a little bit of record keeping and when we allocated a lower amount for organizations.
  3. Lucy will ask Denise to calculate this and have Lydia and Emily to go through the minutes to calculate this.
  4. Charlene mentions it is a good point but given the situation that everyone is going through their current situation, they might assume there is more leeway there. She would hate to be a situation where the organization was not aware.
    1. Lucy responds that the reminder can be contextualized and let them know SFAC has other proposals to fund as well this year.
  5. Brynna says this can remind organizations if they are not spending their money, they can put their money to good use.
  6. Lucy says SFAC did a reminder for last spring for a one year extension for 19-20 for programs that would want to get implemented for 2019-20.
    1. Lydia clarifies this is the rewards given for 2018-2019.
4. Brynna says SFAC will discuss this more next Tuesday.
Announcements & Updates
1. Council on Student Fees Spring meeting Sunday, April 25 9am-12pm
Adjournment

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