Tuition Advisory Council

The Tuition Advisory Council (TAC) is Southern Oregon University’s official advisory group charged with reviewing and recommending tuition and fee proposals each year, prior to their submission to the President and Board of Trustees. Established after the passing of Oregon Senate Bill 242 in 2011, which required Universities to obtain student input in tuition and enrollment fees, the goal of the Tuition Advisory Council (TAC) is to provide a shared governance opportunity for students on campus to become familiar with university finances. Ultimately the council strives to create an environment where students, faculty, and administrators can provide meaningful feedback prior to the University formally submitting proposed tuition rates to the Board of Trustees and then to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC).

Tuesday, December 4th, 2018: 8 – 9 am Churchill Conference Room (CH 133)
Agenda, Materials, Minutes
Monday, January 28th, 2019: 1:30 – 2:30 pm Churchill Conference Room (CH 133)
Agenda, Materials, Minutes
Monday, February 4th, 2019: 1:30 – 2:30 pm Churchill Conference Room (CH 133)
Agenda, Materials, Minutes
Monday, February 11th, 2019: 1:30 – 2:30 pm Churchill Conference Room (CH 133)
Monday, February 18th, 2019: 1:30 – 2:30 pm Churchill Conference Room (CH 133)
Monday, February 25th, 2019: 1:30 – 2:30 pm Churchill Conference Room (CH 133)
Monday, March 4th, 2019: 1:30 – 2:30 pm Churchill Conference Room (CH 133)
Monday, March 11th, 2019: 1:30 – 2:30 pm Churchill Conference Room (CH 133)
Monday, March 18th, 2019: 1:30 – 2:30 pm Churchill Conference Room (CH 133)

Oregon House Bill 4141 (HB 4141), enacted in the spring of 2018, requires each public university to have an advisory body to advise the University President on recommendations to the governing board regarding resident tuition and mandatory enrollment fees. The bill details specific requirements for the advisory body, including the body’s membership and activities. The requirements from HB 4141 are listed below. When requirements are marked “Completed,” this indicates that the Tuition Advisory Council has agreed that the requirement has been met.

Compliance Checklist:

• The university must create a shared governance body that advises the president concerning resident tuition and fees recommendations to be brought before the University’s Board of Trustees
• That body must provide a written document describing the role of the advisory council
• That body must be composed of at least:
  • Two Administrators
  • Two Faculty
  • Two Students representing Student Government
  • Two Students representing historically underserved students
• The university must provide training on:
  • The budget of the university
  • The legislative appropriation process
  • Data showing the relationship between tuition and fees to state appropriations
• The university must provide the council with:
  • A plan for managing costs
  • A plan for how tuition and fees could be decreased if the university receives extra appropriations
• The council must also:
  • Provide opportunities for students to actively participate in the process and deliberations
  • Provide a written report to the president with recommendations, deliberations and observations about tuition and fees for the upcoming academic year including any sub-reports requested by members of the council or other documentation produced or received by the council
• The university must ensure that the process is described on the University’s website and include downloadable materials such as:
  • The council’s role and relationship to the Board
  • Any documentation, agendas, and data considered during deliberations
• If the council feels a recommendation greater than 5% annually is necessary, the council must document it’s consideration of:
  • The impact of that increase on students, especially historically underserved students
  • The impact of that increase on the mission of the university
  • Alternative scenarios involving smaller increases