The 2020-21 Legislative and Advocacy Committee determined that the resolution is being addressed through Spring 2020 Professional Development Webinars with impact of COVID-19 and Executive Orders which included discussions on student fees.
Whereas, Title 5 §58508 indicates:
(a) A community college district governing board shall refund upon request any enrollment fee paid by a student pursuant to section 58501 for program changes made during the first two weeks of instruction for a primary term-length course, or by the 10 percent point of the length of the course for a short-term course. (b) A student shall be allowed at least two weeks from the final qualifying date of the program change specified in subdivision (a) to request an enrollment fee refund.
(c) A community college district shall not refund any enrollment fee paid by a student for program changes made after the first two weeks of instruction for a primary term-length course, or after the 10 percent point of the length of the course for a short-term course, unless the program change is a result of action by the district to cancel or reschedule a class or to drop a student pursuant to subdivision (l) of section 55003 where the student fails to meet a prerequisite;
Whereas, Title 5 §58507 defines program changes as any adding or dropping of classes during the term pursuant to district policy and states that the enrollment fee shall be adjusted to reflect added or dropped courses as allowed by district policy; and
Whereas, Students frequently change sections early in the term because of financial pressures or work schedules;
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and system partners to provide guidance to the field on the current statutory and regulatory requirements for refunding student fees; and
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and system partners to explore the feasibility of allowing student fee refunds after the first two weeks of class or the 10% period.
MSU