Issue Briefs: Student Fees: Definition

There are a great many different student fees associated with academic programs and services at the campuses. Those fees are not considered in this brief. The focus here is what the CSU terms “the State University Fee.” This is an across-the-board systemwide fee charged each in-state (as opposed to non-resident) CSU student. The State University Fee historically has been eyed as a source of revenue during hard times, the present being no exception. On December 16, 2002, the CSU Board of Trustees raised the State University Fee by 10 percent, and the Governor’s budget released in January reflects revenue from an additional 25 percent proposed increase for undergraduate in-state students.