Where Do My Student Fee Dollars Go?
How does the university spend the money collected from the various mandatory fees that you pay?
This month, we’ll break down how your money is spent on programs and services, facilities, and technology. Take a moment to learn more about the facilities fee, here.
Facilities Fee
The Facilities Fee provides funds for improving classrooms and expanding technology in the classroom, making our campus more attractive and sustainable.
The fee also provides funds for portions of new buildings across campus, such as the Strong Hall construction and the Class Lab Building on Thirteenth Street. Since the fee began in 2001, the campus has earmarked to upgrade “registrar-hosted” classrooms with an emphasis on furnishings and technology.
All students pay the Facilities Fee. Full-time in-state students pay $160 per semester, and full-time out-of-state students pay $310 per semester. Part-time students pay a pro-rated fee based on the number of hours they take.
Approximately $9.5 million is collected from the fee annually to help with campus beautification, things like landscaping and other outdoor spaces; building maintenance; classroom upgrades; new building construction; and many efforts to make our campus more sustainable.
It’s how UT purchases green power. Among universities in the southeast, UT is a leader in the purchase of green power, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Here are a few projects that were made possible through a portion of the Facilities Fee.
- Melrose Avenue streetscape
- Lake Loudoun Boulevard streetscape
- Humanities and Social Sciences building renovations
- Renovated classrooms and/or equipment in the Art and Architecture, Buehler, Earth and Planetary Sciences and Burchfiel Geography buildings, among others.
- Johnson-Ward pedestrian mall
- Campus entranceways at Neyland Drive and Lake Loudoun Blvd., Neyland Drive and Joe Johnson Drive, Neyland Drive and Kingston Pike, and Estabrook Drive and Cumberland Avenue
- Ayres Hall south lawn
Upcoming projects that will be funded through a portion of the fee include:
- Equipment for new Strong Hall classrooms
- Campus beautification between Claxton Education Building and Haslam Business Building
- Extension of the Pedestrian Walkway
The fee does not cover costs of full-time facilities employees. It does, however, help provide internships and part-time recycling positions for students.
The Facilities Fee Advisory Committee is made up of students, faculty, and staff who review all proposals to ensure effective use of the funds. The Student Government Association president appoints students to the advisory board each year.
If you are interested in getting involved, contact the Student Government Association about future opportunities.
Click here for the UT Facilities Fee Breakdown spreadsheet.
For more information on student fees, click here.