Student senates have the power and responsibility to consult with administration every year on a college budget proposal, including any changes to tuition and fees. The importance of a complete and transparent consultation process cannot be overstated, but in tough economic times, campus budget discussions can be complex. The tuition consultation toolkit dissects the tuition and fee consultation process and includes best practices, questions to ask, and how to write an effective consultation letter.

Download the entire tuition consultation toolkit

Tuition consultation presentation from the Student Leadership Conference-December 2012

Elements of the tuition consultation toolkit:

• Tuition Consultation Plan
• Tuition Consultation Toolkit
• Tuition and Fee Comparison by College 2011
• Tuition and Fee Comparison by College 2012
• Reserve Fund by College
• FY2010 Year-End Fund Balance MAPS GFS 105 (A)
• FY2010 Year-End Fund Balance MAPS GFS 105 (B)
• Online Tuition Rates by College
• Differential Tuition Rates by College

• MnSCU Year-End Designated Program Balance and % of "New" Revenue

Tuition Consultation follow-up survey:

• Tuition Consultation follow-up survey for student senate presidents
• Tuition Consultation follow-up survey for student senate advisors

by Alison Norman, MSCSA Director of Policy

The largest discussion item at September’s Board of Trustees meeting was the impact of the legislatively enacted $5 million cut to the Office of the Chancellor.  $4.5 million of that cut will be addressed with the removal of 41 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff positions from the Office of the Chancellor.  Many of these positions will be eliminated through attrition or early retirement, but there will be layoffs.  Apart from staff reductions, the impact of the cuts also include the elimination of MnSAT, a realignment of IT services, and the elimination of the MnSCU magazine.  The remaining $500,000 from the legislative cut will be dealt with by restructuring the floor plan at the Office of the Chancellor and removing a floor of office space from the rental agreement.

The Board also addressed its budget outlook for next year.  Because of the uncertainty surrounding the gubernatorial election and the significant differences in the candidates’ budget proposals, the Board has decided to delay its public meeting on the system’s funding request until after the election.  However, the Board did hear the Chancellor’s “emerging proposal,” which asks for the system’s forecast base.  MSCSA and MSUSA also shared their ideas regarding the system’s funding request.

Finally, each Board Committee finalized its strategic goals for the year.  The Committee goals all take into account the changing political, economic, and educational climate and are designed to help the system become more successful into the future.

• New MnSCU Chancellor search update:
  • The search committee has been formed.  The student representatives on the search committee are Travis Johnson, MSCSA President and Andrew Spaeth, MSUSA State Chair.
  • The Board of Trustees is working on hiring a search firm to help with the recruitment process.
  • In terms of candidate qualifications, it was discussed that the Board would like to see a demonstrated commitment to public service and successful management experience.  The Board prefers someone with Higher Ed leadership experience, but will also consider business and nonprofit leaders.
• Board of Trustees, “Connecting with Campus”
  • It was discussed that the Trustees should make an effort to better connect with the individual campuses.
  • Chair Thiss suggested that each trustee should set a minimum goal of visiting at least one campus per year.  Ideally, each campus would be visited by at least one trustee at least once per year.
  • The visits are to be informational only and will provide an opportunity for trustees to meet with students, faculty, and staff to learn more about the campus.
• State of Minnesota Cash Flow Update
  • The Board heard testimony from Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson regarding the current state of the State’s finances.
  • The State is anticipating a situation where it may not have sufficient cash on-hand to pay its obligations.  In response to a possible shortfall, the State is taking out a line of short-term credit.  The credit line is not to exceed $600 million and will only be used if necessary.
  • The State will also be engaging in general fund borrowing to manage the cash flow issues.  It is anticipated that the State will borrow from the MnSCU fund to keep the general fund solvent.  The state has agreed to leave MnSCU with a $100 million reserve; traditionally the reserve is $200 million.
  • The State also anticipates delaying payments to K-12 schools, the University of Minnesota, and the health plans.  The State will also delay sales and corporate tax refunds.  The State will not be delaying its monthly transfers to MnSCU.
• Wadena Campus Reconstruction
  • A design/build contract has been secured for reconstruction of the areas of the Wadena campus that were damaged in this summer’s severe weather.
  • It is anticipated that the construction will cost between $3 million and $5 million.  The vast majority of the cost will be paid for with insurance proceeds.
• “Students First” Update
  • Students First has a new leader – Dr. Jonathan Eichten.
  • It was reported that the project is moving along well.  The Board requested an update on Students First at each board meeting.
• Accountability Dashboard Update
  • The Board heard a presentation from Dr. Peter Ewell of the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) regarding the best way to quantify the “High Quality Learning” measure.
  • Some of the suggested measures were:
    • Publishing the results of accreditation reviews
    • Developing an alumni survey
    • Using existing exam results (e.g., graduate admissions tests)
    • Implementing standardized general collegiate skills tests

We have the following MnSCU and MSCSA committee vacancies available to all MSCSA students. If you are interested in any of the committees and have further questions, please contact Jessica Medearis at 651-297-5877. If you would like to apply for one of the openings, please email MSCSA President Travis Johnson your letter of intent.

MnSCU System-wide Committees:
MN Online Council
Student Accident and Illness Insurance Committee
Board of Trustees Excellence in Teaching Awards Committee
Assessment for Course Placement Committee
Cross-functional Advisory Committee
IMS Advisory Council
Diversity Awards Committee
Students First - Single Registration
Students First - Single Bill/Pay
Students First - Single Search
Students First - Grad Planner

MSCSA:
Scholarship
Diversity

More information on committees:

• MnSCU Committees FAQ
• MnSCU Committee Descriptions