Student Computer Fee Allocation Process
Academic Year 2014/2015
University of Montana
CONTEXT
The Student Computer Fee is one of TWO different fees used to fund
technology
- Student Computer Fee: Generates about $1M/year, allocated in a public
process, by a specific committee tasked to the the allocation, largely
governed by BoR policy 940.23
http://mus.edu/borpol/bor900/940-23.pdf
-
Technology Fee: Generates about $1M/year, allocated by a closed process
controlled by A&F.
- Instructional Equipment Fee: Generates about $500K/year, allocated by a
closed process controlled by A&F.
Notes
1. The intent of the SCF has been to supplement University funding for
technology related to students, not pay the entire cost
2. The SCFC recommends allocations, with CIO oversight and UM President’s
approval
SCF ALLOCATION – BRIEF HISTORY
pre-1991 Allocation was done by VP/A&F in a “closed” process.
1991 Controversy over a proposed allocation for Banner hardware led to a
UM commitment to an “open” allocation process and the official Student
Computer Fee Committee.
1991-2000 Allocation request by proposal, judged by SCFC, “winners take all”,
with no allocations guaranteed to any unit.
1996 Students agreed to double the fee, with the understanding that
approximately half would go to hardware/software and approximately half to
employ students in technology support employment.
2000 Units requested change to a more predictable process ; this led to the
adoption of a formula driven process that (more or less) guarantees units
certain levels of funding on an annual basis, encouraging multi-year planning
and provides a more tractable process for the SCFC.
Since 2000 There have been minor tweaks and refinements in allocation
formulas; most significant changes related to addition of accountability and
reporting requirements.
SCF ALLOCATION – COMMITTEE, CONSTRAINTS, PROCESSES,
BoR 940.23
*Prohibits use of SCF funds for regular employee salaries
*Requires that 10% of all SCF fee collections be reserved on campus for unit projects with the approval of
OCHE. These funds may be released by the Commissioner to the individual campuses upon yearly
review. Computer Fee advisory committee must include at least half student members.
UM-Missoula SCFC Structure
Executive Oversight CIO (does not vote)
Executive Liaison IT, typically IT Fiscal Officer (does not vote)
DSS Representative (does not vote)
Full Voting Members
-Six students, recommended by ASUM to include at least one ASUM student member and one IT student
member
-One representative from Academic Affairs (typically a dean), recommended by the Provost
-Three faculty, recommended by the Faculty Senate - to include one designated from Missoula College
-Two staff, one to be recommended by the Staff Senate and one to be nominated by the SCFC
Other Protocol
-Voting members elect their own chair and chair-elect
-Voting members adopt their own allocation processes (within BOR guidelines.)
-Recommended allocations are forwarded through the CIO (who can attach comments but not block or
overrule the SCFC recommendations) to the President and to OCHE/BOR, if needed.
-BOR Policy outlines formal approval – different rules for different funding levels.
SCF ALLOCATION PROCESS
Fall Semester
*Introduction of SCFC members, selection of Chair and Vice Chair
*Introduction to SCFC Funds and allocation process
*Consider process modifications for allocation of available equipment and
employment funds
Spring Semester
Consider current year revenue, balances, and contingencies in order to set
specific amounts to be allocated to equipment and employment
Try to meet deadlines for submission to the March BOR meeting, if not
possible then must meet May meeting deadlines.
Recommend actual allocations
On-Going Review expenditure requests, expenditure reports, special
requests, and any other issues.
SCF ALLOCATION DETAILS
Current Equipment Process
To be reviewed and adjusted annually by SCFC
-Allocations for course fee replacement, mandated by BoR policy mid-2000’s
-Allocations for specific purposes, such as network access charge subsidy, classroom upgrade project,
campus software licensing, DSS, …
-Allocations (fixed amounts) to non-credit hour generating units which operate open student services,
such as IT and the Library.
-Allocations to credit-hour generating (academic) units to allow them to operate unit-based student
services based on a formula including student credit hours and number of majors.
-Set-aside for contingency (fixed amount) to be managed by IT, but with each expenditure approved by
the SCFC.
-Set-aside reserve for potential OCHE 10%
Current Employment Process
To be reviewed and adjusted annually by SCFC
Funding restricted to students doing IT support
-Allocations on a per seat basis to those who operate open student computing services
-Special allocations to those who operate special computing services
-Allocations on a per seat basis to those who operate closed student computing services (e.g.
departmental labs)
-Allocations to units based on credit hours, majors and student lab seats (ports).
-Allocation to Student Technical Assistance Program (STAP)
SCF ALLOCATION FUNDS DETAILS
CASH FLOW
-
SCF Equipment fees that SPEND approximately half of the SCF funds are collected in the current
fiscal year. These funds are available for allocation so expenditures can proceed immediately
following official approval.
SCF Employment fees that COMMIT approximately half of the SCF funds are collected and allocated
in the following fiscal year.
The SCFC maintains the required 10% contingency in case OCHE exercises its option to retain 10%
of the collected funds.
CASH FLOW – Carry Over
Equipment Units are encouraged to plan for sustainable computing uses and manage their funding
accordingly, which typically involves carrying funds over from year to year (e.g. to fund major
equipment rollover every 3 or 4 years)
Employment Units are not allowed to carry over employment funds from year to year – unspent
employment allocations are re-collected and re-allocated
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Equipment Units are required to submit an expenditure proposal for SCFC approval
in advance of
expenditures from SCF funds.
Restrictions: Generally only computer related hardware and software for open use by students are
approved. Lab furniture, installations, server enclosures, scanners and projectors purchases are
generally not approved.
Employment Units are required to provide an expenditure summary report quarterly
Restrictions: Employment funds may only be used to pay students who are working in computer
related positions such as lab monitors or STAP funded students. SCF Employments funds may not
be used for students employed as office assistants.
SCF CURRENT ALLOCATIONS
Equipment Allocation
FY14 - $690,506
Note: The big change in recent years was the commitment of $100K/year to classroom upgrades.
This project is scheduled to end in FY15 however, it most likely won’t be completed at that time.
The SCFC may be asked to continue an allocation until the classrooms are complete and then an
ongoing allocation for continuing upgrades.
Employment Allocation
FY14 - $493,571
TOTAL FY14 SCF Allocations: $1,184,077
Student Computer Fee Allocation Employment Formulas – 2013
Total allocation is comprised of four components.
1.Open Access Labs – lab seats available to all University students
SCF subsidized ports in lab x ($100,000 /total subsidized ports)
2.Department Labs – lab seats available primarily to department’s students
SCF subsidized ports in lab x ($144,000/total subsidized ports)
3. General Instructional Tech Support (based on unit’s student FTE and majors)
((3 year student FTE avg/UM 3 year FTE avg) x .75) +
(3 year major avg/UM 3 year major avg) x .25)) x $120,000
4.Fixed Amounts (university wide support services)
Includes $35,000 IT Help Desk, $15,163 Tech Lounge, $10,000 Employment
Contingency (covered with previous fiscal year unused funds),
$25,000 IT Web Development, and $43,200 Student Technical Assistance
Program (STAP). Total FY13 $128,363
Student Computer Fee Allocation Equipment Formulas – 2014
Total allocation is comprised of three components.
1. General Instructional Tech Support (based on unit’s student FTE and majors)
((3 year student FTE avg/UM 3 year FTE avg) x .75) +
(3 year major avg/UM 3 year major avg) x .25)) x $241,000
2. Dedicated Allocations in Lieu of Course Fees (BOR Requirement)
*$6,000 Chemistry
*$2,804 Geosciences
*$3,973 College of Education & Human Sciences
3. Fixed Amounts (university wide support services)
*$140,000 Network Access Charge
*$100,000 Classroom Technology Allocation
*$ 80,000 Information Technology
*$ 34,000 Mansfield Library
*$ 5,000 Disability Services
*$ 12,000 Student Services
*$ 25,000 Contingency
*$ 1,000 Davidson Honors College
*$ 1,000 Continuing Education
*$ 15,000 MS/Apple/Symantec Campus Agreement
*$ 8,000 MATLAB
*$ 8,000 SPSS
*$ 2,000 Skill Soft – Replaced by VTC in FY12
SCF CURRENT ISSUES and COMMENTS
SUGGESTIONS TO CHANGE THE STUDENT COMPUTING PARADIGM (AND FUNDING)
-
-
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A need to consider alternatives to physical computer labs, e.g. virtual computing labs.
A need to allow funding of recurring, cloud-based licensing/services for students by the SCF.
A better way to allocate equipment funds across units supporting student labs. The
opportunity is that the amount of equipment funding available could provide for ongoing
updates of all computing.
The committee may now have information and the ability to oversee SCF-funded labs as a
whole.
Reliance on SCF for student labor support at current UM levels may restrict the ability of the
SCF to further technology on campus.
OCHE requirements/policy may warrant review.
Distributions to units that have other technology-related fees