The UT System Student Advisory Council, including student government representatives from all fourteen University of Texas institutions, developed recommendations for the Chancellor on the tuition setting process and the transparency of projected and actual tuition fee charges.
2021 SAC Recommendations
- Recommendation for the Evaluation of Open Education Resources - A recommendation for an end-of-course survey to assess student utilization and satisfaction with OER.
- Recommendation to Maintain Funding Levels for Student Success Programs and Services - A recommendation to maintain funding levels for student success program, particularly for 1st-generation and other high-risk student groups.
- Student Involvement in the Tuition and Mandatory Fee-Setting Process - A letter of support and reaffirmation of the importance of the 2019-2020 Student Advisory Council recommendation to involve students in the tuition- and mandatory fee-setting process.
2020 SAC Recommendations
- Letter to ALA Task Force – Support for the Adoption of Open Educational Resources and Other Textbook Affordability Measures
- Recommendation on Graduate Student Stipends – A recommendation for cost of living adjustments to graduate student stipends
- Recommendation on Student Input in Tuition Setting Process – recommendation that the U. T. System Board of Regents take action to require institutions to codify in their Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP) the student involvement process in proposed tuition changes.
- Recommendation on Transparency of Projected and Actual Tuition and Fee Charges – A recommendation for transparency of projected and actual tuition and fee charges.
2019 SAC Recommendations
- Recommendation for the Adoption and Utilization of Open Educational Resources – This recommendation from the Affordability Working Group, a subset of the Student Advisory Council, asks that “provosts at each institution create environments where faculty are encouraged and rewarded for adopting and/or developing OER.” The rationale is that use of OER by faculty will reduce the financial burden placed on students who are required to purchase expensive textbooks or access codes, thereby lowering barriers to student success.
- Letter of Support for Open Educational Resources and Other Textbook Affordability Initiatives – This letter of support from the Student Advisory Council Affordability Working Group reaffirms support for the UT System’s OER initiatives, specifically in three focus areas: OER for Core Courses, OER for Upper-Division and/or Courses Beyond the Core, and Access Codes.
- Recommendations for Enhancing Student Success Resources – This recommendation reiterates the importance of supporting students by putting in place resources to address financial emergencies, homelessness, and menstrual equity.
2018 SAC Recommendations
Support for Open Educational Resources and Textbook Affordability/Access:
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A recommendation to promote textbook accessibility on university campuses.
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A recommendation to better inform existing faculty on available Open Education Resources.
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A recommendation to incentivize the utilization of Open Education Resources.
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A recommendation to create a comprehensive online advising tool for all U.T. institutions.
2017 SAC Recommendations
Memorandum on Tuition-Fees Process
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Recommendation for a more robust and uniformed requirements to obtain student input via tuition & fees committees, town halls and student surveys.
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Recommendation that the timeline for tuition proposals be moved earlier.
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Recommendation for improved transparency of student fees.
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Recommendation advising against mandating a fixed 4-Year tuition rate versus a variable rate and leaving that up to each institution
2016 SAC Recommendations
Recommendation to Implement Policies Systemwide to Protect Parental Leave for Graduate Student Employees Including Offering Paid Leave – A recommendation for U. T. System to help implement policies to protect the parental leave and to extend paid leave to graduate students who are employed, at least part-time, in academic-related employment at each institution.
Recommendation: As a Component of “Winning the Talent War,” Consider Increasing Graduate Student Stipends in Order to Recruit and Retain Excellent Students as Part of Already Existing Systemwide Initiative to Strengthen Graduate Student Support – A recommendation to reiterate and reemphasize the resolution made by the SAC in 2014-2015 regarding career development for graduate students.
