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AASHE Home > Resource Center > Funding > Student Fees > Mandatory Sustainable Energy Fees


Mandatory Student Fees for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

This resource describes successful efforts to increase mandatory fees specifically to fund renewable energy and energy efficiency. Annual or incidental allocation of non-dedicated student fees for renewable energy and/or energy efficiency is not included. Likewise, voluntary fees (both opt-in and opt-out) for renewable energy and energy efficiency also are not listed. AASHE is pleased to make this resource available to the public as part of our participation in the Campus Climate Challenge.

Fee increases are categorized according to whether the revenue goes toward a) purchasing renewable energy produced off-campus, b) funding renewable energy and energy conservation projects on-campus, or c) a combination of off-campus purchases and on-campus projects (this hybrid category is listed first). Within each category, institutions are listed according to the amount of the fee increase (on an annual basis), with the largest fees listed first.

AASHE strives to keep this resource as accurate, comprehensive, and useful as possible. Please email additions, updates and suggestions for improving this resource to julian@aashe.org.

Hybrid

The Evergreen State College
In January 2005, 91% of voting students at Evergreen State College supported a $1 per credit fee increase (up to $20.00 maximum per quarter) to purchase renewable energy and fund the installation of renewable energy and energy conservation technologies on campus. The increase was approved by Evergreen's Board of Trustees in June 2005, and went into effect at the beginning of the 05/06 academic year. The fee generates approximately $240,000 annually. $10,000 of the money raised is used to cover administrative overhead and to maintain a Clean Energy Committee, including the provision of stipends for student members of the committee. 90% of the remaining revenue is used to purchase renewable energy, while the other 10% is put into a fund for on-campus renewable energy and efficiency projects. The fund is administered by the Clean Energy Committee, which is comprised of 4 students, the Director of Student Activities, the Director of Facilities, and one member of the faculty.

Middle Tennessee State University
In fall 2005, 89% of voting students at Middle Tennessee State University supported an $8 per semester fee increase to purchase renewable energy and fund the installation of renewable energy and energy conservation technologies on campus. The increase was approved for a one year trial period by the Tennessee Board of Regents in June 2006, and went into affect at the beginning of the 06/07 academic year. $5 of the fee is used to purchase renewable energy, while the remaining $3 is used to finance on-campus energy efficiency and conservation projects.

Tennessee Technological University
In fall 2005, 89% of voting students at Tennessee Tech supported an $8 per semester fee increase to purchase renewable energy and fund the installation of renewable energy and energy conservation technologies on campus. The increase was approved for a one year trial period by the Tennessee Board of Regents in June 2006, and went into affect at the beginning of the 06/07 academic year. $5 of the fee is used to purchase renewable energy, while the remaining $3 is used to finance on-campus energy efficiency and conservation projects.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
In March 2003, students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign supported a $2 per semester fee increase to purchase renewable energy and fund the installation of renewable energy and energy conservation technologies on campus. The increase went into effect in Fall 2003, and covers both undergraduate and graduate students. The fee generates approximately $140,000 annually, which is managed by the Energy Subcommittee of the Committee on a Sustainable Campus Environment. The Energy subcommittee is made up of eight student members appointed by the office of the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, and four faculty and staff members.

Auraria Campuses: University of Colorado at Denver, Metro State University and Community College of Denver
In April 2004, 95% of voting students at each of the three institutions that share the Auraria Higher Education Center campus - University of Colorado at Denver, Metro State University and Community College of Denver - supported a $1 per semester increase in student fees to fund the purchase of wind power and the installation of an on-site solar energy system. The fee went into effect at the beginning of the 04/05 school year, and generates approximately $80,000 annually. The fee is to be assessed for three years, with a requirement that students vote again, in 2007, on whether to renew it.

University of Oregon
In April 2005, 81% of voting students at University of Oregon supported a fee increase of up to $2 per semester to purchase renewable energy and fund the installation of renewable energy and energy conservation technologies on campus. The University administration then approved an increase of $0.60 per semester. The increase went into effect in Fall 2005, and generates $36,000 annually. A portion of the funds are used to purchase wind power for the University's student union. The remaining funds are distributed to on-campus energy conservation, alternative energy, and awareness projects by the Energy Conservation and Alternative Futures Fund.

University of Wisconsin, La Crosse
In April of 2008, students were asked if they wanted to invest five dollars per semester in renewable energy and energy efficiency on campus. The answer, with 2222 votes and from 89% of students voting, was a resounding, "Yes."

On-Campus Projects

Northland College
In November 2000, the Northland College Student Association approved a $10 per semester fee to fund the installation of renewable energy and energy conservation technologies on campus. The fund is managed by a Renewable Energy Fund Committee made up of graduating seniors. In 2002, the Student Association decided to double the fee to $20 per semester.

Appalachian State University
In March 2004, 81% of voting students at Appalachian State University supported a $5 per semester increase in student fees to fund the installation of renewable energy technologies on campus. The increase was approved by ASU's Board of Trustees in fall 2004, and by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors in spring 2005. The fee went into effect at the beginning of the 05/06 school year, and generates between $120,000 and $150,000 annually. The funds are administered by a Renewable Energy Initiative Committee, comprised of six students selected by the committee through an application process, one member from Student Government Association, three faculty members, one staff representative, and a representative from ASU Design and Construction. The fee increase is to be collected for three years, meaning that it will expire before the 08/09 school year unless an extension is approved.

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
In February 2003, 75% of voting students at UNC-Chapel Hill supported a $4 per semester fee increase to fund the installation of renewable energy technologies on campus. The increase was approved by UNC-Chapel Hill's Board of Trustees in January 2004, and by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors in March 2004. The increase went into effect in Fall 2004, and covers both undergraduate and graduate students. It generates approximately $185,000 a year, which is administered by the Renewable Energy Special Projects Committee (RESPC). RESPC comprised of 7 students appointed by the Student Body President (2 students), the Speaker of Congress (1 chair and 2 members), and the Graduate and Professional Student President (2 members). Members are advised by ex officio members including the Sustainability Coordinator, the Director of Energy Services, the Vice Chancellor of Campus Services, and other faculty and staff. The original referendum stipulated that students would revote on the fee increase within two years. In February 2005, 85% of voting students re-approved the fee, which will come up for a vote again in 2009.

Off-Campus Purchasing

University of the South
In March 2004, the Sewanee Student Assembly passed a resolution calling for student fee increases of $15/student in 2005, $30/student in 2006, and $45/student in 2007 and thereafter to fund the purchase of renewable energy. The Sewanee Board of Regents approved this plan in February 2005, and collection of the fee began in fall 2005.

Western Washington University
In spring 2004, 85% of voting students at Western Washington supported a fee increase of up to $19 per quarter to purchase renewable energy. An fee increase of a to-be-determined amount less than $19 per quarter was approved by the WWU Board of Trustees in February 2005. In June 2005, the Board approved a Renewable Energy Fee of $1.05 per credit with a maximum of $10.50 per quarter. Collection of the fee began in fall 2005. The fee generates approximately $355,000 annually. The fee may be renewed for up to four years with appropriate annual adjustments in the level of the fee based on projected costs for renewable energy.

Connecticut College
In spring 2001, over 75% of the students at Connecticut College signed a petition supporting a $25 per year increase in student fees to fund the purchase of renewable energy. With support from the Connecticut College Student Government Association, Connecticut College's Board of Trustees approved the increase in May 2001. The fee went into effect at the beginning of the 2001 fall term.

Warren Wilson College
In spring 2006, an $11 per semester fee increase to purchase renewable energy was implemented at Warren Wilson College. The fee increase provides about $17,000 annually.

University of Denver
In spring 2005, students at DU supported a $6 per quarter fee increase to purchase renewable energy. The fee went into effect at the beginning of the 06/07 academic year.

Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government
In February 2004, 58% of voting students at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government supported a $5 per semester increase in student fees to purchase renewable energy. The fee was collected during the 04/05 academic year, after which the Kennedy School of Government administration decided to pay for renewable energy out of the School's administrative budget and the student fee was discontinued.

University of California, Santa Cruz
In spring 2006, 69% of voting students at UC Santa Cruz supported a $3 per quarter fee increase to purchase renewable energy. The increase went into effect in Fall 2006, and covers both undergraduate and graduate students. The fee generates approximately $135,000 annually, of which 25% (approximately $34,000) goes to assure that lower income students have Financial Aid assistance in paying the fee. The fee is a permanent fee with no ending date.

Central Oregon Community College
In May 2006, 72% of voting students at Central Oregon Community College supported an increase in student fees of $0.25 per credit hour up to $3 per semester to purchase renewable energy. The fee went into effect at the beginning of Summer term 2006 and generates around $8,500 per term.

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
In December 2005, UW-Green Bay's Student Senate supported a $1.69 per semester fee increase to purchase renewable energy. The increase was approved by the Student University Fee Allocation Committee in January 2006, and went into effect at the beginning of the 06/07 academic year. UW-Green Bay Chancellor Bruce Shepard committed to matching the students' funding with an equal amount that will be used for energy conservation and energy efficiency upgrades on the campus. The student fee generates $17,000-18,000 per year, and is set to expire after 4 years.

Mesa State College
In Fall 2002, the Fee Allocation Committee of Mesa State College's Student Government Association approved a $1 per semester increase in student fees to fund the purchase of renewable energy.

University of Colorado at Boulder
In April 2000, 83% of voting students at CU Boulder supported a $1 per semester fee increase to purchase renewable energy. The fee went into effect at the beginning of the 00/01 academic year, and continued for 4 years.

University of Utah
In March 2003, the Associated Students of the University of Utah unanimously passed a bill supporting a $1 per semester fee increase to purchase renewable energy. The increase was approved by Utah Board of Trustees in March 2004, and went into effect at the beginning of the 04/05 academic year. The fee will be re-evaluated after four years.

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