Student fees provide for complete college experience
Like it is
Cody Kees
Issue date: 11/19/08 Section: Opinion
Did you know that as a student on this campus you pay $34.97 a credit hour for student fees?
These are fees in addition to tuition, the fee paid to the college you are enrolled in and any additional fees you may have that are unique to your college or major.
A measly $34.97 may not sound large compared to the massive bill most students are footing each semester for college, but for a full-time (15 hours a semester) student, that equals $524.55 in addition to the purely academic fees that are necessary for obtaining a degree.
This $524.55 for a student enrolled in 15 hours is all for activities taking place outside the classroom. Most of these fees are part of the realm of education known as Student Affairs and help to provide the "holistic" educational experience.
Student fees can be quite controversial because everyone pays them, yet not everyone uses them. There are a total of 17 student fees here at the UA. (Remember, this does not include the purely academic fees like tuition and your college fee.)
These 17 fees include charges for the Arkansas Union, the Pat Walker Health Center, headliner concerts, the Enhanced Learning Center, distinguished lectures, and the Associated Student Government to support ASG and Registered Student Organizations on campus.
There are fees to pay for the "free" newspapers on campus as part of the readership program. A fee supports the Safe Ride program that provides "free" and safe rides from Dickson Street to your home. ISIS is supported by a fee, as are the computer labs. There is a fee for student activities on campus, and even one for the fine arts. And let's not omit a very popular one: the transit system fee.
There are many more, and you can find them all listed at http://treasurer.uark.edu/tuition.asp?ssemester=Fall.
As you can see, there is a fee for just about everything, and as you read the list, you may be one of the many students who do not take advantage of the benefits from many of the required fees.
These are fees in addition to tuition, the fee paid to the college you are enrolled in and any additional fees you may have that are unique to your college or major.
A measly $34.97 may not sound large compared to the massive bill most students are footing each semester for college, but for a full-time (15 hours a semester) student, that equals $524.55 in addition to the purely academic fees that are necessary for obtaining a degree.
This $524.55 for a student enrolled in 15 hours is all for activities taking place outside the classroom. Most of these fees are part of the realm of education known as Student Affairs and help to provide the "holistic" educational experience.
Student fees can be quite controversial because everyone pays them, yet not everyone uses them. There are a total of 17 student fees here at the UA. (Remember, this does not include the purely academic fees like tuition and your college fee.)
These 17 fees include charges for the Arkansas Union, the Pat Walker Health Center, headliner concerts, the Enhanced Learning Center, distinguished lectures, and the Associated Student Government to support ASG and Registered Student Organizations on campus.
There are fees to pay for the "free" newspapers on campus as part of the readership program. A fee supports the Safe Ride program that provides "free" and safe rides from Dickson Street to your home. ISIS is supported by a fee, as are the computer labs. There is a fee for student activities on campus, and even one for the fine arts. And let's not omit a very popular one: the transit system fee.
There are many more, and you can find them all listed at http://treasurer.uark.edu/tuition.asp?ssemester=Fall.
As you can see, there is a fee for just about everything, and as you read the list, you may be one of the many students who do not take advantage of the benefits from many of the required fees.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Marci Manley
posted 11/19/08 @ 6:12 PM CST
I wasn't sure whether I was reading an op-ed or a PR promotion for the University of Arkansas. While student fees may provide nominal "experiences" I wouldn't say that they provide you with the "full college experience. (Continued…)
Post a Comment