Committee approves new graduate student success fee and splits computer science/engineering fee

The Business and Finance Committee approved two program‑level fee changes: creation of a graduate student success and access fee and a split of an existing joint computer science and engineering fee into separate program fees.

Shahruz Arubhavar explained the graduate student success and access fee would be a per‑credit charge to fund program coordinators for advising and admissions, plus student research supports such as conference participation and study abroad opportunities. He said the fee is limited to students enrolled in the affected graduate programs rather than being charged to all students.

Arubhavar also described a proposal to split a previously joint $5 per‑credit fee shared by the computer science and engineering programs into separate program fees. The change would increase the per‑program fee amounts (exact dollar amounts were not specified in committee) to support hiring a dedicated adviser for the computer science program’s growing population and to offset equipment and technology needs in the engineering technology program.

Trustees moved and seconded the motion to approve the nonmandatory fees as presented. The roll call recorded votes as: Trustee Atkins — yes; Trustee Cannata — yes; Trustee Jenkins — yes; Trustee McGinnis — yes; Trustee Roe — aye. The chair announced “5 ayes. The motion carries.”

The committee authorized program‑specific fees but did not finalize per‑credit dollar figures in the public discussion; administration indicated the amounts and implementation details will be set by the university and communicated to affected students.