CAPS & Student Mental Health Fee Referendum
Do you approve of a new CAPS & Student Mental Health Fee of up to $35.71 dollars per student
per quarter effective Fall 2020 (Fall, Winter, and Spring), implemented over a three year period,
and extended beyond that period as stipulated below, to expand and increase the availability of
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and mental health services for all students, and
increase funding to improve student mental health support and education?
The fee will be implemented as follows:
2020-2021

$20.71/quarter

2021-2022

$28.21/quarter

2022-2023

$35.71/quarter

The CAPS and Student Mental Health Fee Referendum will support the following:
1. 71% of this fee will be allocated to funding personnel and programming for CAPS and
Health Promotion Services aimed at the prevention, education, and support of the mental
health wellness of students throughout the calendar year.
2. 29% of the total fee will be allocated to supporting the financial aid needs of students.
3. A Student Mental Health Advisory Committee (SMHAC) will provide oversight of funds
generated by the fee. A student will chair SMHAC and at least 80% of the voting
membership will be students. The Associated Students, Graduate Student Association,
and Vice Chancellors of Student Affairs and UC San Diego Health will write and
approve the SMHAC charter.
a. UC San Diego Health will provide SMHAC with annual revenue and expense
reports on the use of the fee no later than October 1st for the previous fiscal year.
Annual budget reports will be made public and provided to all UC San Diego
student governments.
b. SMHAC will evaluate CAPS budget needs and make a recommendation for a
potential increase to be reviewed and approved by the Chancellor beginning
2023-24.
i.
The committee will determine fee changes annually, limited to a
maximum of 4.00% annually.
ii. Limits to any increase:
1. Recommended increases will only cover cost-of-living increases.
2. Any increase greater than 4.00% would require a full student
referendum vote.

 4. The fee revenue will be administered by UC San Diego Health in accordance to SMHAC
and its oversight role.
5. No portion of this fee will be used to compensate University employees unless their
services are directly supporting student mental health services as determined by SMHAC.
6. No portion of this fee will be used for capital improvement projects.
Modifications to this fee may not be made without subsequent student referendum held in
accordance with the appropriate student governmental and University policies, unless other
means are explicitly provided in this ballot language.