The University of Utah has earmarked approximately $3.7 million next fiscal year for student-related technologies and services.
Learning Spaces-Student Computing Fee (LS-SCF) proposals are vetted in March, and awards are transferred to applicants in July. The funds will be used in fiscal year 2025, which runs from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.
“I’ve always been extremely proud to be part of this process,” said Digital Learning Technologies (DLT) Director Jon Thomas “It’s time-intensive and complicated, but vital to student success.”
The fee, which Thomas said dates to the 1980s, is a mandatory charge included in tuition that supports technology needs for students across campus. The fee is currently $26.35 for the first credit hour on a sliding scale that maxes out at $119.45, or 20.2% of the total fee, for 15 or more credit hours per semester.
Where the money goes
The money generated must support students, be needs-based (support the greatest number of students possible), and account for existing common resources or campus software agreements, like Adobe Creative Cloud and Microsoft 365.
A portion of fees is allocated toward central services like UMail and wireless network access, information security, online course management, and administrative applications for students. Most funds are distributed to colleges, libraries, centers, and interdisciplinary programs on campus that have submitted funding request proposals.
Here are some examples of LS-SCF-supported learning systems:
- Canvas
- Kaltura
- AV Classroom Foundation Rooms
- Zoom
- Portfolium
- Gradescope
- Blackboard Ally
Who makes the funding decisions
Interested organizations submit proposals, typically in mid-January. Proposals, which must include a brief video summary and supporting documentation like reconciliation documents from previous awards, are reviewed by a task force of IT professionals who conduct individual interviews with each applicant group. Proposals are then reviewed by the Teaching and Learning Portfolio (TLP), which judges projects on their merits and direct impact on the teaching and learning experiences of students, before submitting them to the Budget Office.
This year, 26 proposals with hundreds of projects and line items (products and services) were awarded.
How and when to apply
The deadline has passed for FY2025, but the FY2026 cycle begins again next October. Please review DLT’s Learning Spaces proposal submission guide for information on how to apply.
Note: Applicants seeking LS-SCF funding to replace lab computers must provide at least four months of data that details lab usage. Although not required, the LabStats tracking tool provided by the university is available to assist in lab data collection.
If you have additional questions as you work on your proposal, please email classhelp@utah.edu.