Article 3.7. Working Families Student Fee Transparency And Accountability Act of California Education Code >> Division 5. >> Title 3. >> Part 40. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 3.7.

This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the Working Families Student Fee Transparency and Accountability Act.

For purposes of this article, the following terms have the following meanings:
  (a) "Consultation" or "consult" means a meeting between representatives from the University of California or the California State University and their respective statewide student association representatives in which the representatives from the institutions provide, at minimum, all the following information at least five days before the meeting:
  (1) A justification for a fee increase proposal, setting forth the facts supporting the fee increase.
  (2) A statement specifying the purposes for which revenue derived from a fee increase will be used.
  (3) A description of the efforts to mitigate the impact of the fee increase on needy students.
  (4) The potential impact to students, including, but not limited to, the changes to the minimum workload burden for all students, if applicable, institutional financial aid awards, and the average student loan debt for undergraduates.
  (5) Alternative proposals that can be considered in lieu of the proposed net student fee revenue proposal.
  (b) "Cost of attendance" means the mandatory systemwide fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation, and miscellaneous personal expenses for an undergraduate California resident student, as used in determining financial aid eligibility.
  (c) "Mandatory systemwide fees" means the fees that resident students enrolled in the California State University or the University of California, as applicable, are required to pay in order to enroll in courses for the academic term pursuant to any law or any policy adopted by the trustees or the regents, as applicable.
  (d) "Regents" means the Regents of the University of California.
  (e) "Resident" means a student who is exempt from paying nonresident tuition pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 68000) of Part 41.
  (f) "Trustees" means the Trustees of the California State University.

The following requirements apply to student financial aid for resident students, and mandatory systemwide fees charged at the University of California and the California State University:
  (a) As any changes in mandatory systemwide fees and financial aid resources are considered, the impact on students shall be explained to students, including, but not limited to, changes to the minimum work or loan burden for all students, if applicable, institutional financial aid awards, and the average student loan debt for undergraduate students.
  (b) Students shall be consulted before increases on mandatory systemwide fees are proposed, so that students can provide input and ask questions regarding the need for any increases in mandatory systemwide fees.
  (c) Adequate advance notice shall be provided to students regarding any future mandatory systemwide fees, thereby allowing the students and their families greater time to prepare for the mandatory systemwide fees to be assessed.
  (d) In order to ensure that access is not precluded for any eligible student, and particularly for financially needy students, all current and prospective students shall be provided with timely information concerning student financial aid, including the processes associated with applying for and obtaining student financial assistance.
  (e) In order for the general public to maintain confidence in the state's public colleges and universities, the state's public colleges and universities shall ensure transparency in the uses of mandatory systemwide fee revenue and the rationale for implementing mandatory systemwide fee increases.

(a) Ten days prior to holding a meeting to discuss or adopt an increase in mandatory systemwide fees, the University of California and the California State University shall provide public notice of the proposed mandatory systemwide fee increase as a discussion item in the public agenda for a meeting of the respective governing board. The public notice shall allow for comments to be received, both verbally and in writing, at the meeting and during the 45-day period required pursuant to subdivision (c). The public notice of the proposed mandatory systemwide fee increase shall, at a minimum, include all of the following:
  (1) A justification for the fee increase proposal, setting forth the facts supporting the fee increase.
  (2) A statement specifying the purposes for which revenue derived from a fee increase will be used.
  (3) A description of the efforts to mitigate the impact of the fee increase on needy students.
  (4) The potential impact to students, including, but not limited to, the changes to the minimum workload burden for all students, if applicable, institutional financial aid awards, and the average student loan debt for undergraduates.
  (5) Alternative proposals that can be considered in lieu of the proposed net student fee revenue proposal.
  (b) The University of California and the California State University shall consult with their respective statewide student associations at least 30 days prior to providing public notice of the proposed mandatory systemwide fee increase. The range of potential mandatory systemwide fees under consideration for the next fiscal year shall be discussed with appropriate student representatives at the time of consultation before public notice of the mandatory systemwide fee increase proposal.
  (c) The regents and the trustees shall not act to adopt a mandatory systemwide fee increase until at least 45 days after a public meeting is held to discuss the fee. The regents and the trustees shall provide a summary of the comments received pursuant to subdivision (a) in the public notice provided before the meeting to adopt a mandatory systemwide fee increase.
  (d) The regents and the trustees shall not adopt an increase in mandatory systemwide fees after the 90th day prior to the commencement of classes for the academic year. This prohibition shall not apply to an increase in mandatory systemwide fees for a summer session.
  (e) (1) In cases where the Governor's proposed budget reduces General Fund appropriations from the prior annual Budget Act for the support of the operations of University of California or California State University, the Legislature enacts or authorizes reduced General Fund appropriations from the prior annual Budget Act for the support of the operations of University of California or California State University, the Legislature enacts a budget reduction for the General Fund support of the operation of the University of California or California State University in the middle of a fiscal year, or the Governor implements a budget reduction for the General Fund support of the operation of the University of California or California State University in the middle of a fiscal year, subdivisions (a), (b), (c), and (d) shall not apply.
  (2) In the instances described in paragraph (1), the University of California and the California State University shall discuss with their respective statewide student associations proposals for mandatory systemwide fee increases at least seven days before posting notice of action to increase those fees. An increase in the mandatory systemwide fees at the University of California or the California State University shall not become effective until at least 30 days have elapsed after the date on which the fee increase was adopted.
  (f) Following the adoption of an increase in mandatory systemwide fees in accordance with this act, the University of California and the California State University shall notify matriculated students of the mandatory systemwide fees to be assessed in the upcoming academic year or the upcoming quarter or semester. In addition, the respective institution shall simultaneously inform students about the availability of student financial aid and the procedures for obtaining that financial aid in order to assist students with meeting the increased costs of attendance.

(a) On or before April 2, 2013, the regents and the trustees each shall develop a list of factors that shall be taken into consideration when developing recommendations to adjust mandatory systemwide fees consistent with the policies set forth in this article. The factors shall include, at a minimum, the level of state support, total cost of attendance, impact on various categories of students, including historically underrepresented students and low- to middle-income students, as well as efforts to mitigate the impacts.
  (b) The factors, and any subsequent amendments to those factors, shall be developed in consultation with the appropriate statewide student body associations and shall be formally adopted by the regents or the trustees in an open and public meeting.
  (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to exempt any increase in mandatory systemwide fees from the requirements of Section 66028.3.

(a) The regents and the trustees are urged to maintain their commitment to institutional financial aid program funding by ensuring that at least 33 percent of the revenues of an increase to existing mandatory systemwide fees charged to undergraduate students is set aside by the regents or the trustees, as applicable, for institutional student aid to assist resident undergraduate students, including those undergraduate students exempt from nonresident tuition pursuant to Sections 68075.5 and 68130.5, and families in meeting the total cost of education.
  (b) The regents and trustees shall report their compliance with this section in their respective annual reports on institutional financial aid pursuant to Section 66021.1.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, commencing with the 2012-13 academic year, the regents and the trustees shall annually provide the Legislature, by February 1 of each year, with detailed information regarding expenditures of revenues derived from student fees and uses of institutional financial aid, and shall provide information regarding the systemwide average total cost of attendance per student. For purposes of meeting the requirements of this section, the regents and the trustees may include this information in their respective annual report on institutional financial aid pursuant to Section 66021.1.
  (b) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, commencing with the 2012-13 academic year, the Legislative Analyst's Office shall annually review, by March 1 of each year, institutional compliance with the policies set forth in this article, and report, in writing, to the Legislature its findings, conclusions, or recommendations regarding the implementation of these policies. This report shall include an assessment of the information provided by the regents and the trustees pursuant to subdivision (a).
  (c) A report submitted pursuant to this section shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.