When it comes to UA costs, some students pay more than others
Student fees go toward media, concerts, bus routes
Jordain Carney
Issue date: 3/2/09 Section: News
Once before the beginning of every semester, students log on to ISIS or check their mailbox to see their bill for the semester. For most students, the bills consist of tuition, housing (if they live on campus, that is) and fees.
For the 2008-09 academic year, fees were estimated to be $524.55 a semester, almost $200 more than the $344 estimated fees for the 1996-97 academic year - of course, during that year, an on-campus parking pass could be bought for only $25 - and almost $150 more than the estimated fees for the 2004-05 academic year ($375.15).
Chancellor G. David Gearhart has said previously that finding a middle ground between the university's needs and keeping education affordable is a delicate act.
"We're certainly sensitive to the fact that people are hurting financially right now," Gearhart said.
The final budget for the 2009-10 year, including the final price for fees, tuition, and housing, will not be released until at least the middle of April.
The UA has not been the only school in Arkansas to have to raise costs during the rough economic time. For the 2008-09 academic year, the UA at Fort Smith also raised tuition and housing rates.
"I wasn't happy about the rise in prices," UA student Robert Self said, "and I'm hoping the University of Arkansas can either not raise their prices, or at least as little as possible for next year."
Because he is an engineering major, Self said he would have to start paying the cost of tuition and fees at the UA for the 2009 fall semester, and he is watching to see if the university raises prices carefully given the situation with the economy.
But fees cost more for some students than for others.
University fees cover a variety of things, including the HPER, student activities, transit and the health center, among other services.
On the university's Web site, there is an estimated cost of fees for this school year - $524.55 - and above that, a note is displayed that says the estimate is based on a student taking 15 credit hours for the semester.
This means that students taking more than 15 hours are charged more the same services. For example, the transit system, the readership program that gives the students access to free newspapers, the ability to bring artist like T.I. and the Foo Fighters to the university, and even the Traveler and the Razorback yearbook are partially funded by these fees.
A student who enrolls in 19 credit hours will pay an estimated extra $137.12 a semester - bringing his fee total to $661.67. However, a student taking 19 hours over the entire academic year will pay almost an estimated $275 during the school year because UA fees are based on credit hour.
"I think it's fair," UA student Holly Cody said. "I don't think people taking fewer hours should have to pay as much as people taking more."
Cody said that taking more than the normal or average amount of hours was a student's decision, and so paying more is also their decision.
For the 2008-09 academic year, fees were estimated to be $524.55 a semester, almost $200 more than the $344 estimated fees for the 1996-97 academic year - of course, during that year, an on-campus parking pass could be bought for only $25 - and almost $150 more than the estimated fees for the 2004-05 academic year ($375.15).
Chancellor G. David Gearhart has said previously that finding a middle ground between the university's needs and keeping education affordable is a delicate act.
"We're certainly sensitive to the fact that people are hurting financially right now," Gearhart said.
The final budget for the 2009-10 year, including the final price for fees, tuition, and housing, will not be released until at least the middle of April.
The UA has not been the only school in Arkansas to have to raise costs during the rough economic time. For the 2008-09 academic year, the UA at Fort Smith also raised tuition and housing rates.
"I wasn't happy about the rise in prices," UA student Robert Self said, "and I'm hoping the University of Arkansas can either not raise their prices, or at least as little as possible for next year."
Because he is an engineering major, Self said he would have to start paying the cost of tuition and fees at the UA for the 2009 fall semester, and he is watching to see if the university raises prices carefully given the situation with the economy.
But fees cost more for some students than for others.
University fees cover a variety of things, including the HPER, student activities, transit and the health center, among other services.
On the university's Web site, there is an estimated cost of fees for this school year - $524.55 - and above that, a note is displayed that says the estimate is based on a student taking 15 credit hours for the semester.
This means that students taking more than 15 hours are charged more the same services. For example, the transit system, the readership program that gives the students access to free newspapers, the ability to bring artist like T.I. and the Foo Fighters to the university, and even the Traveler and the Razorback yearbook are partially funded by these fees.
A student who enrolls in 19 credit hours will pay an estimated extra $137.12 a semester - bringing his fee total to $661.67. However, a student taking 19 hours over the entire academic year will pay almost an estimated $275 during the school year because UA fees are based on credit hour.
"I think it's fair," UA student Holly Cody said. "I don't think people taking fewer hours should have to pay as much as people taking more."
Cody said that taking more than the normal or average amount of hours was a student's decision, and so paying more is also their decision.
Be the first to comment on this story