The Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) regulates fees that universities can charge to students. Fees charged in addition to tuition are governed through the MCU ancillary fee protocol, which is amended from time to time.
These University of Waterloo Guidelines relate to learning resources that students are required to pay for in addition to tuition fees. The MCU Tuition Fee Framework and Ancillary Fee Guidelines for Publicly Assisted Universities consider a compulsory non-tuition-related ancillary fee to be “a fee which is levied to cover the costs of items which are not normally paid for out of operating or capital revenue.” Appendix A provides a visual decision tree that illustrates the application of these Guidelines.
The University of Waterloo recognizes the benefits that learning resources provided by third parties can provide to both students and their instructors, through enhanced engagement, greater achievement of learning outcomes and the provision of a broader array of assessment tools. The use of such resources is firmly established across the spectrum of teaching and learning activity at the University of Waterloo. While this is not a new development (traditional, paper-based textbooks are third-party learning resources) the variety of such resources is continually evolving as new digital tools are developed. Currently third-party tools are used, among other things, for fully online and blended courses, accessing digital content, online examinations and quizzes, electronic submissions of assignments and reports, and discussion groups.
The University of Waterloo also recognizes the additional costs that fees for learning resources pose to students, and generally relies on the judgement of instructors to ensure that these costs are considered in balance with the enhanced learning environment they provide. Instructors are expected to endeavor to keep the total costs of all learning resources used in any course at a level that students can reasonably afford.
MCU’s guidelines make clear that institutions can require students to purchase third-party learning resources that can include test/assessment tools. The guidelines indicate further that “where a course or program relies substantially on assessments that are included with a learning resource, such as an online textbook, the Ministry expects universities to have a policy with respect to their students’ interests in these situations.” What follows is Waterloo’s response to this direction from MCU.
The University of Waterloo-specific guidelines apply to third-party learning resources, digital or otherwise, which the student must purchase in order to be able to complete graded assessments in the course.
When they support the learning objectives of the course, instructors may use learning resources provided by third-party vendors for assessments (such as simulations, online quizzes and other interactive assignments) provided that:
- the functionality is not reasonably available through University-supported tools (e.g., the learning management system, currently LEARN)
- the cost of these resources to a student is no more than $50 in total, before taxes, for a single term half-credit course, and
- such assessments constitute 20% or less of the final grade in the course.
Instructors should clearly communicate details concerning the use of third-party digital resources for assessment in their course outlines.
The following remarks clarify the application of this rule.
- The cost limit applies only to resources that each student in the course must purchase in order to complete assignments, tests, quizzes, exams, or other graded assessments (i.e., students are not able to share or borrow or otherwise obtain access to the resource). The cost limit does not apply to required textbooks. When instructors include a textbook, digital or paper-based, as required in the course syllabus, it is understood that it is access to the material within the textbook that is required. Students can choose to access this content through a variety of means, including purchasing older editions (when content has not changed materially) or alternative texts, sharing a text with a classmate, or accessing copies through the library (when available).
- If the cost of a learning resource required for assessment exceeds $50 or the grade value exceeds 20%, the instructor must provide students with a no-fee assessment alternative that gives students an equitable opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge. For example, this can take the form of alternative assignments, tests or quizzes (which could be online, but at no cost to students), or access to the digital learning resource used for assessment through on-campus lab at no cost to students.
- It is increasingly common that (print or digital) textbooks come bundled with learning resources that instructors can choose to use in assessment. The cost of this bundle is often less than the costs of the textbook and the extra resources purchased separately. Instructors can list such a bundle as a “required text” provided that the resource to be used for assessment is available to students separately and the cost of the assessment portion of the bundle is below the stated limit. If the learning resources are not available separately, the entire bundle should be within the cost limit of $50.
- If it is generally expected that a required learning resource will again be required in a subsequent course, the cost of this learning resource can be averaged over the courses. For example, if Subject 101 and Subject 102 are both required to complete a given program and the same learning resource is required in both courses, and no additional resources are required for Subject 102, the cost limit would in effect be $100 for Subject 101.
- These guidelines do not apply to physical learning resources that become the property of the student and are retained beyond the completion of the course, and the dollar limit described above does not include these costs. Examples include:
- a hardware-based clicker device such as the IST-supported iClicker;
- learning resources such as art supplies, optometry kits, and laboratory equipment (e.g., lab coats, goggles).
Exceptions
When an exception to these guidelines is granted under any of the following provisions, instructors will note in the course syllabus that an exception has been granted, who granted it, and provide a rationale. When the exception is to the cost limit, a suitable no-cost option, as described above, must be available to students.
- Exceptions to the cost and grade limit can be made when learning resources (such as software) are an integral part of the content of the course (e.g., purchasing programming tool X in a course on “Programming in X”). Such exceptions must be approved by the Dean of the Faculty (or delegate, i.e., at the Dean’s discretion, an Associate Dean or the Chair/Director).
- Exceptions to the percentage limit can be made when the learning resource is a tool that allows students to complete assessments, but the assessment questions or tasks are generated by the instructor (or by a group of Waterloo instructors), rather than the instructor employing assessments designed outside of the institution, (e.g., questions selected from an exam bank provided by a third party). For instance, Mobius is a tool often used this way. Such exceptions must be approved by the Dean of the Faculty (or their delegate).
- Deans (or their delegate) may grant other exceptions to these guidelines provided that:
- The cost of the learning resource or resources is less than $100
- The percentage of graded work that requires access to those resources is no more than 35%
- The instructor has presented a compelling rationale that there is no lower-cost alternative resource that would allow the course in question to be delivered in a way that provides similar learning opportunities for students
A list of all such exceptions granted should be provided by the Deans (or delegates) to the AVPA annually, to facilitate ongoing monitoring of the need to update these guidelines.
- In exceptional circumstances, instructors may make a request to the AVPA for an exception to these guidelines when any of the following conditions apply:
- The cost of the learning resource(s) is $100 or more
- The percentage of graded work that requires access to the resources is greater than 35%
When determining whether to grant an exception under any of these conditions, the AVPA will, when appropriate, consult with a designated representative of the relevant student organization (WUSA or GSA) about whether the enhanced learning opportunities for students justify the exception.
Who to contact with concerns
The University of Waterloo strives to strike an appropriate balance between the opportunities for improved learning that third-party learning resources provide and the expense that these resources can impose on students. Students who feel that a syllabus is not consistent with these guidelines may register their concerns with the relevant Associate Dean (Undergraduate or Graduate, depending on the course) in the Faculty in which the course is offered. If a satisfactory resolution is not reached within the Faculty, a student may contact the AVPA, who will investigate as appropriate.
Review of these guidelines
These guidelines will be reviewed regularly to ensure that they appropriately balance the value of learning experiences and the interests of students and instructors.
Questions
Please direct any questions regarding the MCU ancillary fee protocol and the use of digital learning resources to David DeVidi, Associate Vice-President, Academic at david.devidi@uwaterloo.ca, or Carrie MacKinnon, Institutional Analysis & Planning at cmackinnon@uwaterloo.ca.