Campus Fee Proposal Procedures

Students in front of the Warrior Recreation Center

(Last updated March 2026)

Background and Context

Occasionally, a department or course may request an increase or establishment of new fees assessed to students in addition to their tuition. Examples could include a lab fee, professional fee, or student activities fees.

“Fees” refer to all mandatory and required charges other than the cost of tuition. Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules §20-15-1 and Board of Regents Policy Chapter 6.203 authorize the University of Hawaiʻi to establish user fees for services provided by various programs at the University of Hawaiʻi.

Proposals are authorized by either the President of the Board of Regents, depending on the type of fee and request. The establishment of new fees requires Board of Regents (BOR) approval. Any increases or decreases to fees require BOR approval unless authority is delegated to the President or authorized designees. The fee categories are as follows:

Fee Type Description/Examples Authority to Establish New Fee Authority to Increase/Decrease Already Established Fee*
Professional Professional fees are assessed to students enrolled in select programs that incur higher operational costs than standard instructional programs with the same tuition. These fees are intended to provide dedicated funding for specialized equipment, supplies, and services required to meet program accreditation and quality standards. They are generally assessed once each semester during enrollment in the program, but not necessarily applied during summer or other short terms. Proposals must be submitted for approval at least one semester in advance of the effective date. Professional fees are to be reviewed annually by the campus. The schedule of professional fees is available in Executive Policy EP 6.201, Tuition Schedules. BOR BOR
Mandatory Student Mandatory student fees are generally assessed to all students, in amounts set in accordance with Board of Regents policies, and as set forth in a fees schedule attached to Executive Policy EP 6.208. Student organization fees are mandatory fees used to fund the operations of student governance organizations and other co-curricular student activities, publications, broadcasting, and campus center operations. BOR President **
Housing Housing fees, including associated meal plans, which are used to offset the operational costs of housing, bond indebtedness associated with housing revenue bonds, and maintenance and repair programs for housing. Housing fees may be developed for semester-long attendance and for short term stays. BOR BOR
Course & Laboratory Select courses that have unique costs in comparison to standard offerings or which are outside the normal credit course offerings. BOR BOR
Transaction & Service Assessed to users of selected services as a means to offset all or part of the cost of providing the service or as a result of other directly related costs incurred to the institution. BOR President
Ancillary & Auxiliary Charges for certain University services used by students, faculty, staff, and the general public. Programs shall be responsible for providing public notice of the applicable charges. BOR President
Commercial Enterprise & Other Self Supporting Operations Certain programs, goods, and services provided by the University to students and the general community on a self-support basis. Because the charges associated with these programs, goods, and services are subject to market demand, changing supply costs, competition, and rapid change, they are not subject to prior approval by the Board. BOR President
Athletic admission fees and charges to athletic events Charges to university athletic events based on the premise that athletic programs are expected to be largely self-sufficient while providing one of the major venues for interaction between the university and its external constituencies. BOR President
Exceptions:
* Increases to professional fees that exceed the rate of undergraduate tuition growth for the same academic year require explicit board approval. The president or the president’s designee is delegated the authority to approve proposed adjustments to previously established professional fees that fall at or below the cap. Proposed increases above the cap must be approved by the board.

** The president or the president’s designee is delegated the authority to adjust these fees (with the exception of mandatory student fees related to intercollegiate athletics and UPASS), provided that fee increases shall not exceed the increase in the real cost of services provided to the students or 3% per year, whichever is less. The president shall first consult with the respective student government and provide a minimum of a one semester notice to the student body of a fee increase, and a written report to the board outlining the rationale for the increase.

Campus Fee Advisory Committee

The Campus Fee Advisory Committee is promulgated by the Provost to evaluate proposals pertaining to the establishment of new fees, abolishment of existing fees, or revisions to current fees, and provide an assessment and recommendation on the proposal. The Committee is chaired by the Vice Provost for Student Success and includes the Vice Provost for Academic Excellence, the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management, the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship, the Chief Business Officer, and representatives from the Associated Students of the University of Hawaiʻi (ASUH), the Graduate Student Organization (GSO), the Mānoa Faculty Senate, and the Staff Senate. The Committee considers the following criteria in their assessment:

  • The population impacted by the proposed fee,
  • The impact of the fee on the level and quality of service provided,
  • The impact of the fee on the student’s cost of attendance budget,
  • Results of consultative processes with the impacted population,
  • Similar fees at peer and/or benchmark institutions,
  • Evidence demonstrating that fee structure covers cost of services at the university,
  • Manner in which the fees will be collected and allocated,
  • Manner in which the fees will be expended.

Campus Fees: Instructions, Tips, Resources

The Requesting Unit is responsible for submitting a fee proposal that should include consultation with impacted groups prior to submission. Proposals should include (templates linked):

The final request package will be submitted to the Office of the Provost for review and routing. For inquiries regarding the fee proposal process, please email provost@hawaii.edu.

A timeline and detailed instructions, including sample exemplar proposals, are provided below for guidance.

Timeline

May 1

Deadline to submit Action Memo (proposal) to the Office of the Provost for review and routing. Provost’s Office conducts an initial review and iterates with the Requesting Unit to make necessary edits/additions prior to forwarding to the Campus Fee Advisory Committee for further review and recommendation.

May 7: Committee Review

  • Campus Fee Advisory Committee meets to review fee proposals
  • The fee requestor(s) and campus executive(s) will attend to answer questions, as needed.

May thru August

  • The Campus Fee Advisory Committee chair reviews recommendations from the Committee and if approved, forwards the proposal back to the appropriate Vice Provost for documentation.
  • If necessary, the Campus Fee Advisory Committee chair will return proposals for revisions.
  • Proposals not recommended may be resubmitted the following year.

August 20: Resubmit Revisions

Deadline to resubmit proposals requiring revisions to the Campus Fee Advisory Committee for review.

September 1: Round 2 Review

  • The Campus Fee Advisory Committee meets to review the revised Round 2 proposal and virtual presentation by the Requesting Unit.
  • The Campus Fee Advisory Committee chair reviews recommendations from the Committee and if approved, forwards the proposal back to the appropriate Vice Provost for documentation.
  • Proposals not recommended in Round 2 may be resubmitted the following year.

September

  • The Office of Provost conducts final review, Provost signs and routes to the President’s Office for action (and the Board of Regents, if applicable).
  • If approved, the President’s office will return approved/disapproved proposals to the Provost’s Office who will then forward copies to relevant offices (VPs, Bursar’s Office, Cashier’s Office, Financial Aid Office, Budget Office, Registrar, Catalog Office, etc.).

November

  • Proposals presented to the Board of Regents for review and approval (if applicable).
  • Requesting units notified of proposal status.

*See detailed timeline for more information (subject to change).

Fee Proposal Process

  1. Submission:
  2. Initial Review by the Office of the Provost:
    • The Office of the Provost ensures the completeness of fee proposal submissions.
    • Complete submissions are forwarded to the Campus Fee Advisory Committee for review.
    • Incomplete submissions are returned to the department/unit for further completion.
  3. Review by Campus Fee Advisory Committee:
    • The Committee deliberates on the merits of the proposal.
    • The Committee votes on whether to recommend the proposed fee.
  4. Post-Committee Decision Actions:
    • OVPSS drafts comprehensive memos summarizing the Committee’s discussions.
    • If the Committee recommends the fee and the Vice Provost for Student Success (VPSS) agrees, the memo is forwarded for further review (see the Campus Fees sections on the Routing and Delegation page).
    • If the Committee and VPSS do not recommend the fee, OVPSS provides feedback to the department/unit to improve their submission for Round 2 review.
    • Fee requester (or representative) must attend the Round 2 Review Committee meeting and provide clarification as needed.
    • Submissions not recommended in Round 2 may be resubmitted the following fall.
  5. Finalization Phase:
    • The Office of the Provost ensures that the final recommendation is recorded accurately.
    • The Office of the Provost sends copies of the final decision and any relevant memos to concerned parties (i.e., Registrar, Director of Program Development and Review, Cataloger, Business Office, OVPSS Webmaster).
    • The requester and department chair coordinate with their fiscal officer regarding the transfer of funds (course fees are collected as part of students’ tuition payments).

Tips for Writing a Comprehensive Memo

A comprehensive memo should effectively address the following inquiries and provide the corresponding details:

  • Clear Explanation:
    Does the proposal clearly explain why this request is necessary and how it will be used to further the purposes and goals of the program/department?
  • Comparison Fees Rationale:
    Why was a particular comparison group chosen? What attributes make it the most suitable choice? What are the historical charges (if any)? How do the proposed fees compare to the University’s peer/benchmark institutions?
  • Justification for Substantial Increases:
    Does your proposed fee increase surpass $100? A fee exceeding $100 impacts the student’s Cost of Attendance significantly. What necessitates such a substantial fee increase?
  • Removing an Existing Fee:
    Instead of eliminating a fee, the recommendation is to request that the fee be decreased to $0 (which simplifies requesting a fee reinstatement if needed in the future).
  • Exploration of Funding Sources:
    What alternative funding avenues were explored? Why is it unfeasible for the department to absorb these expenses? Where has the unit sought alternative funding?
  • Additional Course Expenses:
    Are there additional course-related costs like textbooks? Provide a thorough breakdown of these expenses to determine the total course cost.
  • Budgetary Breakdown:
    Provide a detailed line item budget narrative indicating how the fees will be utilized.
  • Potential Ramifications of Non-Approval:
    If the fee proposal fails to garner approval, how will the program be impacted?
  • Constituent Feedback:
    Does the proposal include consultative steps taken with constituents who will be impacted by the fee change? Have you surveyed students to gather feedback? (See sample survey questions)
  • Provisions for Waivers or Exemptions:
    Is there a mechanism for students to request waivers or exemptions in cases of financial hardship? If applicable, outline the process.

By addressing these points comprehensively, the Campus Fee Advisory Committee will gain a clear understanding of the fee proposal’s rationale, impact, and provisions for mitigating financial burdens on students.

You can also review exemplary proposals that have been submitted in the past for guidance:

  1. Course Fees: Academy of Creative Media Proposal, Fall 2023
  2. Mandatory Student Fees: Student Media Board, Fall 2025

Campus Fee Proposal Resources

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