Frequently Asked Questions

The Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) Fee is a proposed new CSU Category II campus-based mandatory fee that supports instructionally related activities including IRA programs, intercollegiate athletics, recreational sports, etc.  For SJSU, this fee would help to fund:

• Instructional support activities (labs, fieldwork, undergraduate research, music/theatre performances, exhibitions)
• Transit – Clipper Bay Pass (free or discounted public transit passes for all students)
• Student engagement initiatives (student leadership development, student organizations, and inclusive campus events)
• Club Sports/Intramural programs (inclusive recreation opportunities, travel, coaching, safety equipment, facility access)
• The SJSU Marching Band (equipment, travel, and performance opportunities)
• The Spartan Daily – student newspaper (media training, printing, and distribution)
• Spartan Intercollegiate Athletics

Yes. Currently San Jose State is the only campus in the system to not have an Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) fee.

The proposed amount is $369 per academic year ($184.50 per semester). This would increase total annual mandatory fees from $2,396 to approximately $2,765 per year (a 15% increase)—still lower than Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and San Diego State.

If approved, the new IRA fee would take effect in Fall 2026 (Academic Year 2026–2027).

The proposed IRA fee will benefit San José State students by directly supporting programs and services that enhance the overall student experience, academic success, and campus life. Specifically, the fee helps:

• Expand opportunities for involvement and school spirit through the Marching Band and Athletics, which promote pride and connection across campus.
• Support student recreation and community by increasing resources for Club Sports and maintaining inclusive fitness opportunities.
• Strengthen student learning and professional development through the Spartan Daily, which provides hands-on journalism and media experience.
• Enhance engagement and belonging by funding Student Engagement programs that foster leadership, cultural expression, and inclusive campus activities.
• Improve accessibility and sustainability through transportation support, helping students commute to campus safely and affordably. Together, these investments ensure that SJSU continues to offer high-quality, inclusive, and accessible programs that enrich every Spartan’s university experience.

The California State University system has established two mechanisms for increasing fees as outlined in Executive Order 1102. The mechanism identified for this proposed fee is alternative consultation.

Alternative consultation enables the university to meaningfully engage the campus community regarding the proposed fee. Open forums are held to ensure that students understand the fees and have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback.

The Campus Fee Advisory Committee (CFAC) will compile and analyze student feedback, engage in committee discussions, and ultimately make a recommendation to President Teniente-Matson based on student feedback.

President Teniente-Matson is responsible for making the final campus decision. If approved by the president, the recommendation will move on to the CSU Chancellor for final review and approval.

CFAC is a campus committee consisting of students, faculty, staff and administrators. Learn more about the CFAC. 

The CFAC will make a recommendation to the president based on the consultative process, including upcoming open forums. A formal announcement will be sent.

Under CSU Executive Order 1102, if it is determined that a referendum is not the best mechanism for appropriate and meaningful consultation, and is not required by the Education Code, an alternative consultation process may be utilized.  Alternative consultation strategies will be developed with input from Associated Students and CFAC in an effort to solicit input from the entire student body.  Examples of alternative consultation activities include the following: 

• The campus will host open forums to inform and engage students.
• CFAC will collect feedback, deliberate, and make a recommendation to President Cynthia Teniente-Matson.
• If approved by the president, the proposal will be submitted to the CSU Chancellor’s Office for final approval.

Following the consultation process, the CFAC will make a recommendation to the President. Once a decision is made, a formal campus-wide announcement will be sent to all students (projected for March 2026).

Only matriculated students enrolled in state-supported (state-side) courses may participate in the IRA fee survey. This is because the IRA fee applies only to students in state-supported programs.

Students enrolled exclusively in Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE), also known as self-support programs, are not required to pay the IRA fee. As a result, they are not eligible to participate in the survey, which is limited to students who would be sjubect to the fee.

All eligible students enrolled in state-supported courses will receive a survey link by email. The survey will also be avaiable through one.sjsu.edu and Canvas.

Including transit in the IRA proposal was seen as a way to:

• Keep a student-prioritized benefit under consideration rather than losing it altogether
• Situate transit within a broader set of instructionally related and access-supporting activities
• Manage financial and contractual uncertainty within a larger, diversified fee structure, rather than placing all risk on a single-purpose fee

Yes. Transportation was initially evaluated as a standalone fee proposal, as part of the AS fee. The President determined that a standalone transit fee would not be pursued due to unresolved concerns about long-term pricing and limited information regarding sustained campus-wide student utilization. This decision was not based on a lack of recognition of transportation as a student priority.

While CSU policy allows limited transit-related uses under MSF, this fee category is more restrictive in scope and is primarily intended for course-specific materials and facilities. Using the Materials and Services Fee (MSF) for transit would require additional approvals and a separate consultation or referendum process.

The IRA pathway allows broader programmatic flexibility and could be implemented in time to be included in financial aid packaging for 2026–27.

Based on these considerations, the IRA pathway was determined to be the most feasible way to preserve transit funding within the required timeline.

Yes. The campus is not opposed to reevaluating the appropriate fee category for transportation in the future. Any change would require:

• Compliance with CSU Fee Policy
• Either a referendum or alternative consultation
• Demonstrated student interest and support

The Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) fee is a mandatory student fee authorized by the California State University (CSU) system. It supports activities that are directly related to instruction but occur outside the traditional classroom, including labs, performances, and intercollegiate athletics. 

Athletics are considered instructionally related because they:

• Provide hands-on, experiential learning in leadership, teamwork, time management, and discipline
• Support student development outcomes aligned with SJSU’s educational mission
• Offer applied learning opportunities for students involved in sports management, kinesiology, athletic training, marketing, media, and event operations
• The CSU system explicitly recognizes intercollegiate athletics as a valid use of IRA funds.

Even if a student never attends a game, athletics funded through the IRA fee bring significant value to the broader campus by:

• Enhancing school pride, campus identity, and community engagement
• Increasing SJSU’s visibility and reputation, which can strengthen the value of an SJSU degree
• Creating student jobs, internships, and leadership opportunities
• Supporting campus events that bring students together and improve overall student life

IRA funds used for athletics typically support:

• Student-athlete academic support services
• Coaching and instruction directly tied to athletic participation
• Equipment and facilities used for training and competition
• Compliance with NCAA and conference requirements
• Opportunities for students to participate in and attend intercollegiate competitions

IRA funds do not replace State general funds and are restricted to approved instructional purposes.

Athletics costs continue to rise due to:

• Increased travel, equipment, and operational expenses
• Conference and NCAA compliance requirements
• The need to remain competitive and viable within Division I athletics

Without sufficient IRA support, programs may face reductions in opportunities, competitiveness, or student services, which can negatively affect both athletes and the campus community.

IRA-supported athletics funding helps ensure:

• Equal opportunities for men’s and women’s sports
• Compliance with Title IX requirements
• Access to athletic participation regardless of a student’s financial background
• This funding helps maintain a diverse and inclusive athletics program that reflects SJSU’s student population.

Reducing the number of sport teams is not an option due to Title IX compliance requirements.

Without adequate IRA support, SJSU could face:

• Cuts to athletic programs or teams
• Reduced student participation opportunities
• Lower competitiveness and visibility
• Fewer student employment and experiential learning opportunities

These impacts would extend beyond athletics and affect campus life and institutional reputation and opportunities for philanthropic support.

There's a perception that all athletes and all teams receive full aid, housing, books, etc. 

- Of our 451 student-athletes, 68% (307) are on some sort of Athletics aid 

- 39% (175) receive partial aid

- 29% (132) receive a full scholarship 

159 Student-athletes (35%) are either out of state residents or international students and are not eligible for state/federal aid.

Athletics sponsors 2 Graduate Assistants for Band. 

29% (39) of Band members are either on scholarship or are paid as student workers through the School of Music.

Between our Sports Programs, Athletics Administration, and Student-Athlete Support areas, there are 173 total SJSU Students (non-athletes, both grad and undergrad) who work in some capacity in the Athletics Department.  Of the 173, 110 are either paid and/or getting class credit (internships) for their work, 63 are volunteers. 

Intercollegiate Athletics has 38 credit-bearing courses in the course catalog, Kinesiology has an additional 75 physical education courses that are tied to sports. The total of sport-based courses is 113.

IRA funds allocated to athletics typically support:

• Student-athlete academic support services
• Coaching and instruction directly tied to athletic participation
• Equipment and facilities used for training and competition
• Compliance with NCAA, conference and Title IX requirements
• Opportunities for students to participate in and attend intercollegiate competitions

Per Education Code 89230, intercollegiate athletics is specifically listed as an IRA activity.  Costs that are necessary for a basic competitive program including equipment, supplies and schedule travel, not provided by the state.  IRA funds cannot be used for athletics grants or scholarships. 

There are a few key reasons San José State doesn’t seriously pursue cutting major sports or dropping to FCS:

1. Conference membership and revenue structure: SJSU is a member of the Mountain West conference (FBS). Dropping to FCS would mean leaving that conference, losing FBS television revenue, College Football Playoff distributions, and bowl payouts. Even if those revenues don’t fully cover costs, they offset expenses in ways FCS membership likely would not. Additionally, should that decision result in SJSU having to leave the Mountain West Conference, SJSU would be subject to a $20M exit penalty.

2. Long-term institutional strategy: University leadership views FBS athletics as part of the school’s brand visibility, enrollment strategy, and alumni/donor engagement. Football, in particular, drives national exposure that supports fundraising and student recruitment. 

3. Title IX compliance: Federal Title IX rules require gender equity in athletic opportunities. If a men’s sport is cut, schools may also have to adjust women’s programs, which could put the institution at risk  which could also cause an additional financial burden.

4. Contractual/financial obligations:  Facilities, coaching contracts, student scholarship commitments, conference agreements, and debt obligations would not be eliminated or reduced by moving to the FCS.  Moreover, the operational costs of travel, equipment, apparel, game expenses would not be materially different in a different classification but the earned revenue opportunities would be dramatically reduced.

5. Athletics is an important gateway to keeping alumni and donors engaged. SJSU has strong support from donors, alumni, and local stakeholders who not only support Athletics, but who also support many other areas within the University including academic programs and student scholarships. .

6. Many public universities are grappling with how to balance athletic ambitions with affordability. At SJSU, the decision in 2014 to not continue with the originally approved SSETF fee schedule cost the University $87M since then, including $9M this year alone. Other California State University campuses with Division 1 sports have recently increased their IRA fees or are considering fee increases currently (Fresno State and San Diego State).  Other Mountain West schools are also considering student fee increases. 

The University’s general fund operating budget was reduced by approximately $8 million this fiscal year due to State budget reductions. As such, the campus does not have any bridge funding to support the initiatives being proposed to be supported by the new IRA fee. 

Following the completion of alternative consultation activities and in accordance with the CSU Fee Policy, CFAC shall consider the proposal for the establishment of a new IRA fee (Category II fee), and shall then make a recommendation to the campus president based upon feedback and data collected during the alternative consultation effort.   

In accordance with the CSU Fee Policy, the campus president is responsible for assuring that appropriate and meaningful consultation occurs prior to adjusting any campus-based fee. The campus president with approval from the CSU chancellor determined that a referendum would not allow for the best measure of student opinion.   

A fee referendum can be structured to include specific line item funding allocations to be funded within the proposed fee amount.  The process to plan for a student fee referendum could take approximately four to six months deferring support for many important student services and programs such as BayPass.

There is no lack of transparency. A detailed presentation of all revenues and expenses for the Department of Athletics was shared at the Athletics Budget Town Hall held on February 5th [insert link] and there has been detailed consultation with the Budget Advisory Council (BAC) and the Athletics Board for the past several years. 

In the last three years, SJSU’s overall competitive success has been among the best in the Mountain West Conference. SJSU’s student athletes have consistently earned top academic honors from the conference as well.  Additionally, funding decisions for collegiate athletics aren’t based solely on win–loss records. SJSU Athletics is an academic program with 38 credit-bearing courses in the course catalogue and 82% of Athletics coaches are Unit-3 (California Faculty Association) faculty. Like many other programs, the cost to support Athletics has risen over the last few years and SJSU is working to ensure that we can maintain the quality and sustainability of Athletics, in the same way we would for other programs.

Student fees are not used to pay coaching salaries. Charging students attending games would not provide the revenue necessary to close the budget gap in Athletics. Reductions to student fees made in 2014 have cost the University $87M since then, including $9M this year alone. Without those reductions Athletics would not have had budget deficits.

The tangible benefits that SJSU students receive from Athletics goes far beyond access to competitions, it builds the University's reputation among alumni, donors to other programs, and among regional employers who hire SJSU students. 

Additionally, athletic programs rely on predictable, recurring revenue streams. If funding depended only on which students attended athletic events, the revenue would be unpredictable and would fluctuate heavily based on team performance, weather, and opponents, making budgeting unstable and unpredictable. 

Requiring students to purchase tickets could actually reduce student attendance. Lower student attendance weakens home-field advantage, reduces school spirit, and makes the program less attractive to recruits, donors, alumni, and sponsors.

Athletic events contribute to student life, alumni engagement, national exposure, and campus identity — even for students who may never attend a game.