PUBLIC USER FEES

IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURES

CaliforniaStateUniversity, Sacramento

CaliforniaStateUniversity, Sacramento is required by Education Code 89700(a) to obtain payment for services, facilities or materials provided members of the public, known as public users. For the purpose of these procedures, public users are defined as an individual/organization that uses university services or facilities that is not enrolled as a student at the University or charged under the Student Fee Policy.

The services for which the University charges a fee are those that are generally provided as part of a University department’s normal provision of services, or for services provided by students engaged in a particular service-oriented practice. It also includes charging an outside organization for the use of University facilities, providing the event supports the University’s mission. Typically the fee is charged on a per use basis. Examples of services provided are a Library Card for library services to the general public and the Speech Pathology & Audiology program which provides speech and audiology testing and diagnostic services to the public throughSacramentoState students.

These procedures only apply to the establishment of a public user fee. It does not include fees charged to students, which is handled by the Student Fee Policy. Nor does it include charges made to other University departments, which are handled by the Cost Allocation Plan.

A department is prohibited from providing services or charging for said services to a public user without first obtaining the approval to establish a user fee through this process.

DEFINITIONS

Sponsor: The person submitting the request to charge a pubic user fee. This should be a department/unit manager (MPP).

ProgramCenter Administrator: Administrator in an administrative division that reports directly to the division Vice President and has one or more operational units reporting to him/her.

RESPONSIBILITIES

This process is managed by the University’s CFO and his/her designees. The President has sole decision authority to establish or abolish a Public User Fee. The University’s CFO has the authority to approve increases in established fees.

PROCESS

Request

A University department/unit sponsor, via his/her Dean or Program Center Administrator, must submit to his/her respective Vice President a Public User Fee Request Formto establish a Public User Fee. The request must include the following:

  1. Justification for providing the service to the general public,include how the services, facilities, or materials provided are integral to the University’s mission; how the services, facilities, or materials provided are essential to the public, offered at a reasonable price with reasonable terms, and at convenient times and locations; and, how the provision of the services, facilities, or materials are for the primary benefit of the campus community, but fulfill a public need.
  1. Document the costs associated with providing the services, facilities, or materials and support the fee being charged.
  1. An estimate of the revenue and number of users that would be expected to use the facilities and services.
  1. A budget identifying how resources generated would be used.

Approvals

If approved by the respective Vice President, the request will be submitted to the Associate Vice President for Financial Services. On behalf of the Associate Vice President, the University Budget Officer will review the request including consulting with the University Auditor regarding possible Unrelated Business Income issues. The University Budget Officer will make a recommendation to the University’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), with an informational copy going to the Associate Vice President for Financial Services.

The University’s CFO will submit to the President his/her recommendation regarding the request. A copy of the Public User Fee Request Formwill be returned to the Vice President and Sponsor by the Associate Vice President for Financial Services as written notice of approval or denial of the request.

Establish Accounts

If approved by the President, the Sponsor will request Accounting Services, by copy of the approved Public User Fee Request, to establish the necessary financial records in the University Trust Fund for the collection and expenditure of funds. Fees may not be charged until these financial records have been established.

Changes in Fee Level

Changes in the level of the fees should reflect changes in the cost of providing the service, facility, or materials. The request to change the fee level must be submitted via a Public User Fee Request Form, include documentation supporting the increase,and be approved by the Sponsor’s Dean or Program Center Administrator and his/herrespective Vice President. The approved request will be submitted to the Associate Vice President for Financial Services for review by his/her designee, the University Budget Officer, for his/her recommendation to the University’s CFO. Changes in the fee level may be made with the approval of the University’s CFO.

REVIEW OF PUBLIC USER FEES

Periodically the University’s CFO will request the University Auditor to review and evaluate Public User Fees. The following is the procedure for the review.

The University Auditor will notify the fee Sponsor, and the respective Vice President, that their fee has been selected for review. The Sponsor of each fee will submit to his/her respective Vice President an assessment of the previous year’s activity supported by the fee. The assessment should include:

  1. A statement of financial activity for the financial record where the fee’s revenue is deposited. The statement should include the financial record’s beginning balance, the total amount collected as revenue, the total amount expended and the financial record’s ending balance.
  1. A description of the types of commodities and services provided during the year.
  1. A description of the types of expenditures charged against the financial record during the year.

The Vice President responsible for the department will forward all submissions to Auditing Services. This unit shall be tasked with the responsibility of preparing a report summarizing the assessment and providing commentaryto the University’s CFO for consideration. The University’s CFO will discuss any concerns with the department’s relevant Vice President, and as needed with the President.

As of January 31st of each year, the University’s CFO will provide the President’s Cabinet with a listing of all public user fees.

Effective July 1, 20081Public User Fees Implementation Procedures