Operating Instruction 5.11.1.3 Senior Citizen Charges and Fees
System Procedures
Chapter 5 - Administration
Access a PDF copy of this operating instruction
Purpose:
To establish consistent fees to be charged to senior citizens who take credit or non-credit courses.
Background:
As defined in Minn. Stat. § 135A.51 a senior citizen is a legal resident of Minnesota who has reached 62 years of age before the beginning of any term, in which a course of study is pursued, or a person receiving a railroad retirement annuity who has reached 60 years of age before the beginning of the term.
Minn. Stat. § 135A.52 includes provisions regarding senior citizen charges for accessing higher education programs. The following chart helps clarify when a fee can or cannot be charged.
Guideline Requirements:
|
Charge/Fee |
Courses Taken for Credit |
Non-Credit Courses |
Audited Courses |
Rationale |
|
Tuition for courses designed and offered specifically and exclusively for seniors |
No |
Yes |
No |
Tuition is permitted to be charged in law, M.S 135A.52, subd.1 for these non-credit courses |
|
Tuition |
No |
No |
No |
Specified in law, M. S. 135A.52, subd.1 |
|
Administrative Fee |
Yes |
No |
No |
Specified in law, M.S. 135A.52, subd.1 |
|
Closed Enrollment Training Program charges/Customized Training |
Yes |
Yes |
N/A |
Specified in law, M.S. 135A.52, subd.2 (b) |
|
Student Application Fee |
Yes |
No |
No |
Not required of non-credit students |
|
Parking |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Authorized for all in MS 136F.53 & not exempted; as required of all users |
|
Statewide Student Association |
Yes |
No |
No |
Required in MS 136F.22 for credit courses |
|
Late Fee |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Not exempted, not activity fee; as required of all students |
|
Experiential Learning |
Yes |
N/A |
N/A |
Not exempted, not activity fee; as required of all students |
|
Placement |
Yes |
N/A |
N/A |
Not exempted, not activity fee; as required of all students |
|
Student Life/Activity Fee |
No |
No |
No |
Prohibited by M.S. 135A.52, subd.1 |
|
Athletic Fee |
No |
No |
No |
Prohibited by M.S. 135A.52, subd.1 as this is considered an activity fee |
|
Health Services |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Authorized in MS 136F.20 and not exempted |
|
Residential Learning Community Fee |
Yes |
N/A |
N/A |
User fee, allowed by Board policy |
|
Technology Fee |
Yes |
No |
No |
Not exempted; not activity fee; user fee required of all students; authorized per credit |
|
New Student Orientation Fee |
Yes |
No |
No |
Not exempted, not activity fee; as required of all new students |
|
Sustainability Fee |
Yes |
No |
No |
Not exempted, not activity fee; as required of all new students |
|
Student Union Facility Fee |
Yes |
No |
No |
Not exempted; not activity fee; user fee required of all students |
|
Personal Property & Service Charge |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Authorized in MS 135A.52, Subd. 1 as materials, personal property or services charges |
|
Non-resident or Reciprocity Tuition |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Waiver available only to "MN legal residents" (includes reciprocity) |
Related Documents:
- Board Policy 5.11 -Tuition and Fees
- Procedure 5.11.1 -Tuition and Fees
- Procedure 5.11.1 attachment - Fee Amounts
To view any of the following related statutes, go to the Revisor's Office website. You can conduct a search from this site by typing in the statute number.
- Minn. Stat. § 135A.51 Definitions
- Minn. Stat. § 135A.52 Program and Qualifications
Operating Instruction History:
Date of Adoption: 10/24/11
Date of Implementation: 10/24/11
Date of Last Review: 11/17/23
Date and Subject of Amendments:
11/17/23 – Reviewed as part of the five-year review cycle. Shortened language under Purpose. Removed a sentence in the background related to the confusion about when to charge certain fees to senior citizens. Added New Student Orientation Fee and Sustainability Fee language.
No additional History
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