Finance & Administration Procedure
Original Issuance Date: October 20, 2026
Last Revision Date: n/a
1. Procedure Purpose
This procedure establishes the university’s standard process for requesting, reviewing, and approving special course fees, as required by UW System Administrative Policy (SYS) 825, Special Course Fees. It also describes how approvals are documented and retained, and how fee revenue and expenditures are accounted for.
2. Responsible University Officer
Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration
3. Definitions
None listed.
4. Procedure
A. Approval and Notification
I. Before developing a special course fee proposal, the proposing department must review SYS 825 and its Appendix to confirm the fee is for a permitted purpose and does not cover a cost that should be paid from the regular instructional budget.
II. The proposing department must submit each request for a new or revised special course fee through the Special Course Fee Request eForm. Requests must be submitted by the deadline set by the Bursar’s Office for the term in which the fee will first be assessed.
III. The form routes the request for review by department, college, and Academic Affairs leadership. Each reviewer confirms that the request complies with SYS 825 before advancing it.
IV. The Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, as the Chancellor’s designee, approves or denies the request. A special course fee may not be assessed without this approval.
V. The approved request is sent to the Bursar’s Office, which sets up the fee for billing through the university billing process, publishes it in the class schedule before registration opens, and retains the completed eForm as the record of approval.
B. Accountability
I. The Bursar’s Office maintains the procedures and records needed to account for special course fee revenue and expenditures, as required by SYS 825, Section 6.E. Departments that receive special course fee revenue must provide the Bursar’s Office with any information needed to meet this requirement.
5. Related Documents
Chancellor’s Memorandum, Designation of Approval Authority for Special Course Fees (October 15, 2026)
6. Procedure History
First approved: October 20, 2026