Technology Fee

Information Technology (IT) is responsible for the administration and implementation of university technology projects/services supported by the student technology fee.

What is the Technology Fee?

The technology tuition fee is not a user fee. It is paid by all students, proportional to their enrollment status (full-time/part-time) and to their residency status (in-state/out-of-state). It is set annually by the PASSHE Board of Governors. The purposes of the technology tuition fee are: to acquire, install and maintain up-to-date and emerging technologies for the purpose of enhancing student-learning outcomes; to provide equitable access to technology resources; and to ensure PASSHE graduates are competitive in the technologically sophisticated workplace.

The technology fee initiative is a joint project with Academic Affairs, allowing for classroom technology to be purchased through the tech fee process freeing up academic monies to then be able to support this equipment, through supplies and non-technical components, to ensure that students are able to gain the most out of the learning opportunities provided. Faculty and staff submit proposals for new projects to enhance classroom learning experiences, student research opportunities, and hands on learning opportunities each spring semester. These proposals are reviewed by IT and then evaluated by the Academic Tech Review Committee comprised of faculty, staff, administrators, and student representatives, and ranked by priority based on factors such as student impact, project feasibility, and likelihood of success. A recommendation is then made to the Provost/Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs based on these rankings. Projects are funded based on rank, until the money earmarked for new technology is depleted. Funded projects are then implemented over the summer and fall semesters.  All equipment purchased through the technology fee gets tagged with a technology fee sticker for easy identification.

Once implemented, projects come up for renewal on a regular cycle determined by the lifecycle of the equipment/services. When a request for renewal is submitted, the project's level of success is evaluated and renewal status is determined by the Academic Tech Review Committee. For examples of projects that have received funding in the past, use the links listed below.

Application Process for New Tech Fee Proposals

Instructions and samples of the New Tech Fee Proposal application are available online. You can use these examples to help prepare a new funding proposal.

Summaries of Funded Tech Fee Projects by Year Funded