ITEM 121-110-R1103

November 20-21, 2003

ITEM 121-110-R1103

940.24 Collection and Remittance of Voluntary Fees for Student, Non-profit and Non-partisan Organizations; The Montana University SystemThe University of Montana-Missoula

Board policy:

1. The Associated Students Organizations of The University of Montana Missoula the Montana

University System is are authorized to collect a special and voluntary fee of any amount up to, but not exceeding $37.50 per semester on behalf of a student organization Montana Public Interest Research Group; and to remit the proceeds thereof to that corporation under the following terms and conditions.

Procedures:

1. The corporation organization must be a Montana non-profit and non-partisan corporation run directed solely by Montana University System students University of Montana-Missoula.

2. The articles of incorporation and by-laws of the corporation will assure that the procedures and activities of the corporation are democratically controlled by Montana college students of the Montana University System University of Montana, and will clearly limit the corporate activities to those activities which advance the general welfare of students consistent with the overall educational mission of the Montana University System University of Montana-Missoula.

3. The fee be is collected incidental to each applicable campus regular registration process the regular registration process and will not be assessed unless the student elects to pay the voluntary fee to the organization by means of a positive designation.that it be made clearly known to each student that it is a voluntary fee.

4. The fee collection process be initiated only after it has been clearly demonstrated that there is general and substantial support for the corporation exists among the students of the particular Montana University System campusUniversity of Montana-Missoulaeither through:

a. a referendum, held in compliance with the Associated Students Organization procedures, in which at least a majority of those voting vote in favor of the establishment of the fee, or

b. a minimum of 20% of students signing a petition in favor of the establishment of the fee.

5. An assessment of collection and disbursement of costs of up to 3.5% of all funds collected will be deducted prior to remittance to the corporation of the balance of the fees collected.

6. The fee will not be billed to any student until at least 10% of the total student body has made a positive designation to pay the fee.

7. If, by the end of spring semester of the academic year following implementation, and any year thereafter, the percent of students having made a positive designation to pay the fee equals less than 10% of the current student enrollment, continuation of the fee must be reaffirmed either through:

a. a referendum, held in compliance with Associated Students Organization procedures, in which at least a majority of those voting vote in favor of the continuation of the collection of the fee, or

b. a minimum of 20% of students signing a petition in support of the continuation of the fee.

8.6.The Agreement between an Associated Students Organization ASUM and a student organizationMontPIRG entered into pursuant to the authority of this policy may specify additional terms and conditions for the collection of the fee including procedures for collecting, verifying, and submitting each students positive designation, methods for canceling a students positive designation and issuing refunds, conditions and procedures for amending or discontinuing the agreement, and indemnification provisions.

a.       the majority vote of the students voting on continuation of the MontPIRG voluntary student fee in a referendum to be held either as a part of winter term registration or to coincide with ASUM spring elections and with voting to continue until at least 25 percent of the student body votes; or by,

b.       a majority minimum of 20% of the U of M students body signing a petition in support of continuing the MontPIRG voluntary student fee.

9. Establishment or collection of such a fee does not constitute sponsorship or endorsement by the Montana University System of the registered campus organization.

Definitions:

Voluntary Fee: For purposes of this policy a voluntary fee is one that is assessed only when a student makes a positive designation that the student wishes to pay the fee.