Operating Instruction 5.11.1.3 Senior Citizen Charges and Fees

System Procedures
Chapter 5 - Administration

Access a PDF copy of this operating instruction

for Board Policy 5.11


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:

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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