The technology fee is a relatively recent development and does not have many historical items related to it. The earliest mention of the fee was as a proposed amendment to Minnesota State University Board 5.4 in late May 1991. The fee is intended to offset the orderly replacement of computer equipment, microcomputer enhancements, equipment media, networking, software, purchases and computer support and maintenance personnel costs.
Revenues are to remain at the campus where they are collected.
Before instituting the fee, the university will consult with the recognized student group. It was moved by Director Elmer, Seconded by Director Johnson, and unanimously carried to amend Board Regulation 5.4, Computer Support Fee, as stated above. In 1992, a Student Computing Fee Committee was established. It is the general feeling of the Student Computing Fee Committee than one of the major criteria used to determine if funds from the fee will be used to support a given lab is whether or not the lab is considered open to all students at the university. It is the opinion of the Committee that the highest priority projects funded by the fee are those projects which benefit the most students.