Ancillary Fees Protocol Agreement

Legislative History:

Approved by UEC: 1995/03/06; Approved by the Board of Governors: 1995/04/10; Date Effective: 1995/04/10; Amended by the Board of Governors: 2007/03/05

Approval Authority: Board of Governors

Signature: Susan Mann


Description: Deals with compulsory fees: (a) tuition fees (b) non-tuition related fees (c) student referenda-established levies. This policy concerns the participation of students in decisions to recommend increases in Compulsory Ancillary Fees to the Board of Governors


Ancillary Fees Protocol Agreement

Background:

In June, 1994, the Ministry of Education and Training (MET) forwarded guidelines for a Compulsory Ancillary Fees Protocol to govern the process of increasing these fees at each Ontario university.

At York fees have three components:

  • compulsory tuition fees;
  • compulsory non-tuition related ancillary fees (for Counselling, Athletics & Recreation, Cultural and other student support services);
  • compulsory student referenda-established levies.

Compulsory fees are raised on the basis of taxation (or "all pay") rather than on individual usage (or " user pay").

Any other category of fees is governed by a "user pay" principle and is, in that sense, "non-compulsory". York's Board of Governors is responsible for the establishment of all annual fee adjustments.

The Ancillary Fee Protocol Agreement concerns the participation of students in decisions to recommend increases in Compulsory Ancillary Fees (the second component of York's fee structure) to the Board of Governors.

The Terms of the Agreement

  1. The Committee

The Ancillary Fees Committee shall consist of two (2) representatives of the York University administration and one (1) representative each from York's central student governments, the York Federation of Students and the Graduate Students Association. (It is the responsibility of the student representatives to ensure full consultation with their member constituencies.)

  1. The Timetable

The Ancillary Fees Committee shall convene by October 1 each academic year in order to provide its recommendations for the Board of Governors by December 15, whenever an increase to base Compulsory Ancillary Fees is proposed.

Failure by any member of the Committee to attend meetings called in good faith in order to observe this timetable shall not prevent the Committee's deliberations.

  1. Establishing Compulsory Ancillary Fee Increases

(a) Compulsory Ancillary Fees in existence at the time of negotiations shall be considered "Base" Ancillary Fees and are not negotiable.

(b) Base Ancillary Fees shall increase automatically to cover inflationary items such as salaries, utility rates and supplies.

(c) Except as in (b), existing Base Ancillary Fees may not be increased, or new ancillary fees added, without review under this protocol and the subsequent approval of the Board of Governors.

(d) The University will provide the Committee with all documentation relating to a proposed increase to any of the programmes or services paid for by ancillary fees. This may include the reason for requesting the increase, the actual costs of the proposed increase, the blended implications of such an increase on the total new ancillary fee, and any other information necessary to justify the proposed increase. The University reserves the right to protect individual salaries and other confidential information.

(e) A representative of the administration shall attend at least one central student council or constituency meeting each for undergraduate and graduate students to explain the reason for the increase and to respond to questions prior to concluding the agreement.

(f) Ancillary fee increases which affect only undergraduates or only graduates require the agreement of only the representative of the affected students.

(g) Agreement on a compulsory ancillary fee increase shall be indicated in writing and signed by all members of the Ancillary Fees Committee.

  1. Dispute Resolution

In the event that members of the Ancillary Fees Committee cannot reach concensus; the question of an increase will be submitted to a full referendum of the student body. (details of the referendum process to be finalized in discussions between the Vice-President (Students) and the Presidents of the York Federation of Students and the Graduate Students Association on or before March 17, 1995.)

  1. Review of the Protocol Agreement

This agreement may be reviewed at the request of either elected student leaders or the university administration every three years. The first review, therefore, will commence upon the call of any member of the 1996-97 Ancillary Fees Committee, by February 15, 1997 and conclude by April 30, 1997.

The Undersigned, duly authorized by their instructing bodies, agree that this protocol will govern future ancillary fee increases at York University.

"Elizabeth Hopkins"
Vice-President (Campus Relations/Student Affairs)
York University

"Andre Bastion"
President (York Federation of Students)
York University

"Philip Kiff"
President (Graduate Students Association)
York University