Funding FAQs

For more information or if you have any questions, contact us at gapsa@tulane.edu.


 

Where does my student activity fee go?
81% of the fee goes to the graduate/professional student's respective Division. GAPSA allocates the remainder 19% to USG, collaborative events fund, affinity fund (for IGDOs), and GAPSA-sponsored events (i.e. mixers).

Why is a portion of my student activity fee allocated to USG?
In agreement with USG, GAPSA allocates 7.5% of graduate/professional student activity fees to fund events and services for all students. The three main events and services include Crawfest, Tulane University Campus Programming (TUCP), and recreational sports. 

The Joint Executive Council (JEC) is scheduled to revisit this allocation Spring 2021.

Where does my tuition go?
Tulane operates on a budget model called Responsibility Center Management (RCM).  In this model, revenue-generating units are wholly responsible for managing their own revenues and expenditures. Shared Service Units (SSUs; i.e. libraries, physical plant, etc.) do not generate revenue and are funded by assessments placed on the revenue-generating units. In addition, setting graduate and professional student tuition is the responsibility of each school (under consultation with the Provost). Graduate/Professional student tuition is revenue generated for their respective school - it is their school's right/responsibility to manage/spend that revenue. Note that each school (like all revenue units) contributes to the central fund that pays for the SSUs. Of note, undergraduate tuition is set centrally because all undergraduates are housed in Newcomb-Tulane College and pay the same tuition regardless of which major/school they choose.

How does the endowment work?
Endowments are governed by the donation agreements, and Tulane budgeting uses those funds in accordance with those rules. 

"After more than 180 years, Tulane University has established itself as one of the world's preeminent educational and research institutions. The University's mission exists in perpetuity. However, to continuously offer new programs and new services requires an ever-growing pool of financial resources. The Endowment is unique among the University's revenue streams since it provides perpetual support for Tulane's students, both current and prospective. To put the power of the Endowment in perspective, a $1.0 million gift made 10 years ago and invested in the Pooled Endowment generated more than $500,000 to recruit the highest quality students regardless of financial need, to pay professorships and fund basic research, and to perpetuate community service initiatives. Most importantly, that original gift remains intact today and will continue to fund Tulane in the future. We urge you to support the Endowment because these specific gifts ensure the long-term financial strength of the Institution, benefiting future generations of Tulanians."
https://endowment.tulane.edu/