What is the Student Technology Fee Grant?

The Student Technology Fee Grant is a fee that was established by the Florida Legislature to meet the evolving needs of students and faculty related to technology and its use in an academic setting. This fee was created by Florida Statute 1009.24.

Why am I being charged a Technology Fee?

Students, faculty, and administrators in the State University System recognized a need to enhance and continuously fund instructional technology. The cost of financing essential services such as infrastructure, systems, applications and support services for users far exceeded available resources in state funding models. Florida is not alone in recognizing this need or in instituting this fee. All other AAU public universities have technology fees, and most have had them for years.

What will the Technology Fee be used for?

Use of the Technology Fee is defined by Florida Statute 1009.24 and is to be used for instructional technology resources for students and faculty, including services and infrastructure.

How will UF decide how the Technology Fee will be used?

A Student Technology Fee Grant Advisory Committee comprised of students, faculty, and administrators annually solicits, evaluates, and recommends funding for projects. Successful proposals may be funded for start-up costs, some period of operating costs, or in some circumstances recurring operating costs.

How can I submit an idea to be funded by the Technology Fee?

A formal process is in place that requires a concept paper to be submitted to the Student Technology Fee Grant  Advisory Committee. After review a concept paper submitter may be invited to submit a full proposal for review and recommendation to the CIO. Details of the process can be found at Submitting a Concept Paper.

What is the difference between a concept paper and a full proposal?

A concept paper is a short description of an idea for a new service, a service or infrastructure improvement that is submitted to the Technology Fee Advisory Committee for consideration. A concept paper may be rejected or accepted. Upon acceptance of a concept paper the submitter will be invited to make a full proposal.

How will the concept papers be evaluated?

Concept papers will be evaluated based on their viability and benefit to students and faculty. Detailed criteria can be found at Scoring Criteria.

Who is responsible for managing the project resulting from an approved proposal?

Final approval for funding decisions resides with the UF CIO. Sustainable management of ongoing projects generally will be assigned to a core IT unit or a major distributed IT unit serving under one of four senior Vice Presidents.