The Student Tech Fee is designed to provide funds for technology that enhance the learning environment or facilitate research for students and faculty at the Graduate Center. The CUNY-wide ETI `tax’ is a bundle of software and infra-structure related charges that for the most part is undergraduate focused (Blackboard and advisement software) and irrelevant to doctoral students.

During the February plenary meeting, the DSC unanimously passed a resolution on the level of STF funds that can be used for CUNY Enterprise Initiatives (Blackboard, Email, Academic Advisement, Etc.). Despite a verbal agreement that was made with 2009-2010 student STF Committee members about a one time ‘excessive’ charge, the 2010-2011 budget reflects charges at the same level.