TITLE 17. EDUCATION

CHAPTER 26. COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

PART VI. POWERS AND DUTIES OF MANAGEMENT BOARDS

17:3351.1      Technology fee; authority to assess; use of proceeds

 A. (1) The Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, the Board of Trustees for State Colleges and Universities, the Board of Supervisors of Community and Technical Colleges, and the Board of Supervisors of Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, each may provide, by the favorable vote of two-thirds of the members of the respective board, for the assessment of a student technology fee at the institutions of post-secondary education under their respective supervision and management. The student technology fee shall be five dollars per course credit hour.

 (2) Prior to the assessment of the technology fee at any institution, the governing body of the student government association at the particular institution shall have approved the assessment and may establish the maximum amount of any such assessment per student per semester by a vote of at least two-thirds of the members of the governing body; however, the maximum amount per student per semester shall not exceed one hundred dollars. The fee shall be paid by each student and no student shall be exempted from paying the fee. Monies derived from the fee assessed at each institution shall be restricted and accounted for separately and shall be used for the particular institution.

 (3) The respective board shall terminate the assessment of any such fee at any institution at which at least two-thirds of the members of the governing board of the student government association vote to terminate the assessment of the fee. Action by the respective board to terminate the assessment shall be by vote of at least a majority of the members of the respective board.

 B. (1) Proceeds from the assessment of the technology fee shall be used in accordance with a written plan developed by the institution for purposes of implementing, replacing, improving, and expanding technologies to benefit student life and learning and such use shall be in compliance with any applicable provisions of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. In developing the written plan, the institution shall provide students with the opportunity to make recommendations concerning the use of fee proceeds.

 (2) For the purposes of this Section, "technologies" includes but is not limited to instructional and laboratory equipment and the networking and supporting computer and telecommunications infrastructure necessary to support these activities.

 C. Each institution at which the technology fee is assessed shall make an annual accounting to its management board of the use of monies derived from the fee.

Amended by Acts 1997, No. 1450, § 1, eff. July 15, 1997; Acts 1998, 1st Ex.Sess., No. 151, § 1,eff. July 1, 1999.