*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 5046.doc* Federal Communications Commission DA 00- 2657 Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, DC 20554 In the Matter of ) ) Request for Review of the ) Decision of the ) Universal Service Administrator by ) ) Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District ) File No. SLD- 160703 Santa Ynez, California ) ) Federal- State Joint Board on ) CC Docket No. 96- 45 Universal Service ) ) Changes to the Board of Directors of the ) CC Docket No. 97- 21 National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc. ) ORDER Adopted: November 28, 2000 Released: November 29, 2000 By the Accounting Policy Division, Common Carrier Bureau: 1. The Accounting Policy Division has under consideration a Letter of Appeal filed by Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District (Santa Ynez), Santa Ynez, California, seeking review of a decision issued by the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service Administrative Company (Administrator). 1 Santa Ynez seeks review of SLD’s refusal to consider Santa Ynez’s appeal to SLD on the grounds that it was untimely filed. For the reasons set forth below, we deny Santa Ynez’s appeal. 2. SLD issued a Funding Commitment Decision Letter on July 21, 2000, denying Santa Ynez’s request for discounted services under the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism. 2 Specifically, SLD denied Santa Ynez’s request for discounts for internal connections, Funding Request Numbers (FRN) 366305 and 366344. On August 24, 2000, Santa Ynez filed an appeal of SLD’s decision to deny FRNs 366305 and 366344. 3 On August 25, 2000, SLD issued an Administrator's Decision on Appeal indicating that it would not consider Santa Ynez’s appeal because it was received more than 30 days after the Funding Commitment 1 Letter from Fred Van Leuven, Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District, to Federal Communications Commission, filed September 12, 2000 (Letter of Appeal). 2 Letter from Schools and Libraries Division, Universal Service Administrative Company, to Richard Wilson, Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District, dated July 21, 2000 (Funding Commitment Decision Letter). 3 Letter from Fred Van Leuven, Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District, to Schools and Libraries Division, Universal Service Administrative Company, filed August 24, 2000. 1 Federal Communications Commission DA 00- 2657 2 Decision Letter was issued. 4 Santa Ynez subsequently filed the instant Letter of Appeal with the Commission. 3. Under section 54.720 of the Commission’s rules, an appeal must be filed with the Commission or SLD within 30 days of the issuance of the decision as to which review is sought. 5 Documents are considered to be filed with the Commission or SLD only upon receipt. 6 The 30- day deadline contained in section 54.720 of the Commission’s rules applies to all requests for review filed by a party affected by a decision issued by the Administrator. Because Santa Ynez failed to file an appeal of the July 21, 2000 Funding Commitment Decision Letter within the requisite 30- day appeal period, we affirm SLD’s decision to dismiss Santa Ynez’s appeal to SLD as untimely and deny the instant Letter of Appeal. 4. ACCORDINGLY, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to authority delegated under sections 0.91, 0.291, and 54.722( a) of the Commission's rules, 47 C. F. R. §§ 0. 91, 0.291, and 54.722( a), that the Letter of Appeal filed by Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District, Santa Ynez, California on September 12, 2000, IS DENIED. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Mark G. Seifert Deputy Chief, Accounting Policy Division Common Carrier Bureau 4 Letter from Schools and Libraries Division, Universal Service Administrative Company, to Fred Van Leuven, Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District, dated August 25, 2000 (Administrator’s Decision on Appeal). 5 47 C. F. R. § 54. 720. 6 47 C. F. R. § 1.7. 2