Student fees are scheduled to become optional for Idaho’s four-year institutions after a plan received approval from the Idaho State Board of Education in a virtual board meeting.
This plan was developed with representatives from each institution to create four fee categories. These categories are student enrollment, engagement and success; institutional operations, services and support; student health and wellness; and student government.
The creation of these categories was one of the goals of House Bill 387 to create a similar naming convention for student fees. The other goal was to address the need of access, affordability and choice of students.
These changes will take effect for the 2022 school year. Each institution will create an opt-out option for fees that support student activities, clubs and organizations. Students who opt-out will receive a refund in the fall of 2022.
Programs all around campus are funded by student fees, some of which include ASUI, the Student Recreation Center, the Vandal Health Clinic as well as the Counseling and Testing Center.
In December, a report of fees eligible for opt-out will be submitted to the legislature’s Joint Finance Appropriations Committee in accordance with the requirement of HB 387.
Daniel Ramirez can be reached at [email protected] or Twitter @DVR_Tweets