Fee Transparency Project

Zoom: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/95622314123?pwd=5VWcllvoBuwmAnafdwInowPaBQ1LWB.1

Attendees: Marshall, Trey, Lisa, Mel, Katie, Diana, Lauren, Tanisha, Lucy

Welcome and Introductions
1. Members introductions: Name, Pronouns, Year, Major, and Space.
2. Order: Cowell, Stevenson, Crown, Merrill, Kresge, Porter, Oakes, RCC, C9, JRL, GSA, GSC, SAB, Provost, SUA, Lisa, Lucy
Approval of Agenda & 11/18/24 Minutes
1. Lisa explains that she would like time today to discuss a mandatory Miscellaneous Fee.
2. In January, Lisa would like summer fees for 2025.
3. Trey makes a motion to approve the agenda for today’s meeting, as well as the minutes for November 18th. Mel seconds the motion. There are no objections. Motion carries.
Announcements & Updates
1. “When to Meet” Poll to help schedule Winter Quarter meeting
  1. Marshall invites everyone to fill out the “When to Meet” poll so we can establish the meeting day and time for the agenda. Please fill this out before mid-December (December 16th).
2. Member updates
  1. No updates.
3. Meeting updates
  1. December 2nd meeting canceled as some folks will be traveling following the Thanksgiving holiday. Today is our last meeting of the Fall quarter. Thank you everyone for a very productive start to the year.
2024-2025 Funding Call
1. Upcoming Workshops
  1. November 24th
    1. Debrief workshop
    2. There were four groups who attended the meeting (see tracker).
    3. Lauren, Trey, Katie, and Marshall attended the workshop.
    4. Lauren says that there were good questions and nothing was redundant from the information on the slides.
    5. Trey suggests that the presentation could be shared.
    6. Katie says it went well, the questions were good, and we were able to answer the questions effectively.
    7. Marshall says that he made an update to the application so student organization status is more clear in the application questions.
  2. November 26th
    1. This will be the last workshop.
    2. Lucy suggests that it will likely be a busy session because many of the departments that typically request funds have not yet attended (Resource Centers, STARRS, EOP, etc.).
    3. Lucy asks if the deadline is strict for December 6th.
      1. Marshall says it should be a strict deadline. After the 6th, most members will be taking finals.
      2. Mel agrees that the deadline should be strict because we have less funding available.
      3. Katie agrees.
      4. Lauren is available to take meetings after December 6th but she is also supportive of keeping the deadline firm.
  3. Slide Deck
  4. Attendance tracker
    1. Please update the tracker if you conduct any consultation sessions.
“How to Read a Budget Report” https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Q5VLYViko3d0a0WME8sAXOVgqqN3IikV
1. Lisa reviews the format of an operating budget for Learning Support Services (LSS).
2. Lisa shows one example of a fund level budget, which shows the LSS referendum
3. Lisa also shows an example of an organizational budget which shows all of the funds in a department’s budget.
Mandatory Miscellaneous Fee
1. Lisa explains that this has been going on for a couple of years. UE wants to impose a mandatory fee for documents. If you need a diploma, or you need transcripts sent somewhere, etc. you pay per request. UE would like to implement a mandatory fee to help with administrative costs and processing. Each student would pay a fee one-time.
2. Lisa explains that we have never had a mandatory Miscellaneous Fee.
3. Lisa explains that we try to have at least two students on the committee. The meetings will happen in March or April. Lisa wants to make sure there is input from students in the process.
4. Lucy asks why a Miscellaneous Fee is appropriate given the difference between a campus based fee and a Misc Fee (no return to aid). The group continues discussion and agrees it will be important to have students in that conversation. Lisa says that the committee will make a recommendation to implement the fee or not and student voice is important.
Student Fee Summit
1. Marshall says that he would like to have a fee summit event in the Winter Quarter.
2. Link to Registrar’s Website with all student fees listed: https://registrar.ucsc.edu/fees/registration/
3. Marshall says that it would be helpful to have groups come and visit who have campus based fees that will sunset soon.
  1. Lisa mentions that the Grad Student Commons fee will be sunsetting in the next couple of years.
4. Discussion regarding how SFAC must be neutral in matters related to student fees.
5. Katie thinks this is a good idea, perhaps tabling. Lisa remembers we had a great event before the pandemic that attracted about 300 students who visited with all of the referendum authors in the Quarry Plaza.
6. Discussion regarding the possibility of an event in Winter Quarter to have folks with different fees to present on how those fees are used, etc.
7. Marshall suggests that we will continue discussing in January and look to have an event during week 7 or 8 winter quarter.
Sub-Committee Work
1. Outreach : When2Meet
  1. Please fill out the poll to help establish meeting time for winter quarter if you are interested in being on this sub-committee.
  2. Helping Mel with Social Media
  3. Tabling
  4. Info events
  5. Others?
2. Auditing : When2Meet
  1. Please fill out the poll to help establish a meeting time for winter quarter if you are interested in being on this sub-committee.
  2. Looking at fees
  3. Meeting with responsible parties
  4. Others?
3. Other Subcommittees?
Adjournment
1. Meeting adjourned at 1:41 pm.

Upcoming Guests/Topics:.

2025 Summer Fees (Lisa) - early January 2025
Guests
1. Acting Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Success John Bollard
By-Laws
1. [From 6/6/24 meeting minutes]: Marshall, Mel, and Lucy will draft some language and edits for the bylaws responsive to today’s conversation for review next year early in fall quarter.
Auditing:
1. Student Media Voice Fee
2. Student Life Facilities Fee