March 25-26, 2004

ITEM 122-110-R0304:  940.24 Collection and Remittance of Fees for Student, Non-profit and Non-partisan Organization; The University of Montana-Missoula

Effective July 1, 1989; Issued September 28, 1994

Board policy:

1. The Associated Students of The University of Montana-Missoula may establish procedures permitting the collection of voluntary fees on behalf of registered campus organizations and to remit the proceeds to those organizations under the following terms and conditions.

Procedures:

1.       The registered campus organization must be controlled by Montana University System students and serve the interests of students.

2.       The fee is collected incidental to 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. Cancellation and refund requests must be processed within thirty days.

3.       The fee collection on behalf of a registered campus organization be initiated only after it has been clearly demonstrated that support for the collection of the fee exists among the student body as specified by The Associated Students of the University of Montana.

4.       An assessment of collection and disbursement of actual costs will be deducted prior to remittance to the organization of the balance of fees collected. The costs of collecting the fee must be borne by the registered campus organization. Ability to pay the costs must be demonstrated prior to collection and remittance of the fee.

5.       Procedures adopted by ASUM 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 student's positive designation, methods for canceling a student's positive designation and issuing refunds, conditions and procedures for amending, renewing, or discontinuing the agreement, and indemnification provisions.

6.       Establishment or collection of such a fee does not constitute sponsorship or endorsement by The Associated Students of the University of Montana, The University of Montana-Missoula, or the Montana University System.

7.       Any procedures adopted by The Associated Students of The University of Montana must respect the principle of viewpoint neutrality.

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.

Registered campus organization: For purposes of this policy a registered campus organization is either:

a)       a student group recognized by The Associated Students of the University of Montana, or

b)       a non-profit corporation directed solely by students of the Montana University System registered with The Associated Students of the University of Montana.