Limits on UMass Fees
SECTION 162.
(a) Notwithstanding any special law to the contrary, if, upon the University of Massachusetts receiving the full allotment of their base appropriation in line item 7100-0200, in an amount not less than $478,691,873 for fiscal year 2014, the University of Massachusetts shall not increase mandatory curriculum fees for students at the University of Massachusetts for the fall 2013 school year; and if, upon the University of Massachusetts receiving the full allotment of their base appropriation in line item 7100-0200, in an amount not less than $518,755,373 for fiscal year 2015, the University of Massachusetts shall not increase mandatory curriculum fees for students at the University of Massachusetts for the school year beginning in the fall of 2014.
(b) The University of Massachusetts shall annually report to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on higher education, the secretary of administration and finance and the secretary of education: (i) the status of the percentage of student education costs placed upon the student and subsidized by the commonwealth with the goal of providing education costs to students at an equal 50/50 share between the commonwealth and the students; and (ii) a comprehensive document articulating the efficiencies and effectiveness of initiatives and programs at the University of Massachusetts that save the commonwealth and students money and make the 5 campus system operate more efficiently.
(c) The University of Massachusetts shall report on or before December 1, 2013, to the senate and house committees on ways and means, the joint committee on higher education, the secretary of administration and finance and the secretary of education on how it will achieve the goal of providing education costs to students at an equal 50/50 share between the commonwealth and the students at each of the Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth and Lowell campuses of the university.