Regulation 160.02: New Fee Proposals

1. Proposal Requirements

a. Dedicated Fee Unit proposals must include the following:

i. The purpose of the fee;
ii. The amount, per student, per term, of the fee, and whether enrolment status affects the fee level;
iii. Whether students are able to opt out of the fee;
iv. If and how the fee is assessed to part time students, Augustana and off-campus students;
v. Whether or not the fee applies to the Spring and Summer terms;
vi. A proposed budget for the use of the funds;
vii. The proposed mechanism of oversight by the Students’ Union, typically including a Students’ Union representative on the Board of the sponsoring organization; and
viii. Any other reasonable and relevant requirements specific as specified by the Students’ Union.

b. Student Representative Association Membership Fee proposals must include the
following:

i. The mandate or mission of the organization, including what services and activities are provided to students;
ii. The purpose and uses that fee will used for;
iii. The amount, per student per term, of the fee;
iv. The scope of membership of the fee;
v. Whether the fee has an opt-out;
vi. The dates the fee is to begin and cease being collected, if different from those implied by Bylaw;

vii. Evidence that alternative revenue sources have been explored prior to this request;
viii. A copy of the Association’s current budget and the future proposed budget;
ix. How much of the Association’s overall budget will be made up of fee revenue;
x. A sample budget for the allocation of the fee and this benefit to students;
xi. The financial oversight of the fee, including any financial controls in place;
xii. Reporting mechanisms to SRA membership regarding use of the fee;
xiii. Proof of consultation with members of the SRA; and
xiv. Endorsement of the fee by the Association.

2. Drafting of fee referendum questions

a. Fee referendum questions shall be drafted by the Bylaw Committee.
b. All fee referendum questions and the included supplementary information shall be framed in matter-of-fact and neutral terms.
c. Fee referendum questions shall include, at a minimum:

i. The purpose of the fee;
ii. The amount of the fee, the academic terms that it will be collected, if the amount varies per term, and if the fee varies based on enrolment status;
iii. Whether any members are exempt from the fee;
iv. Whether the fee is indexed to inflation; and
v. If members may opt out of the fee.

d. Referendum questions for new fee proposals will be drafted within three weeks of receipt of the proposal.

3. The sequence of fee proposals

a. For clarity, the order of operations for the creation of a new fee is as follows:

i. A proposal is submitted to Students’ Council.
ii. The proposal is referred to Bylaw Committee for the drafting of the question.
iii. Students’ Council approves the draft question for inclusion in the next Executive and General Election, in accordance with the requirements laid out in Bylaw 160.2.j.
iv. If a petition is required, the proposer collects the necessary signatures. Upon verification of the petition’s validity and completeness by the Chief Returning Officer, the question is added to the ballot.
v. If a petition is not required, the question is added to the ballot upon approval of the question by Students' Council.