University fees are getting out of control

April 20, 2015

DeKeveion Glaspie
[email protected]

Fees and other student expenses are getting out of hand.

Imagine waking up every day living a life of accumulated debt that was primarily student loans. To pay back the debt, you put every penny you have into it, barely leaving anything to afford shelter or food.

This is reality to many Americans across the nation.

My peers and I, still in college, struggle to not just afford tuition, but all of the general fees that come along with it.

On average the in-state college student at UCCS pays roughly between $4,000 and $5,000 a semester. This does not include the housing fee of over $4,000.

Every student wants to get the most of their money. Fees for things such as the Rec Center and student activities I find necessary for both health and entertainment reasons. But a lot of the general fees that the university charges students are per credit hour, ranging from $1 to $9.50.

Students need to know what they are paying for and why. Those fees need to be within the needs of education, as well.

Some fees can be good and productive for students. When I was at my previous university, art classes charged a fee so that students would have access to supplies needed for projects. But at UCCS, most art classes charge a fee to take the class and then the student has to pay for supplies separately.

Fees are not only getting outrageous when it comes to tuition, but when it comes to students and their vehicles.

Students are paying well over $200 for a parking pass per semester, but are not always promised a spot in their designated parking areas.

With the lack of guaranteed parking spots, the price should decrease to accommodate the satisfaction (or lack thereof) that students are receiving.

There are also fees in places that you wouldn’t expect until you use the service. Printing, for example, is a separate expense.

The university switched from the Paw Prints system and now charges a student’s account directly when they print something. As an English major, I am required to write and print several papers per semester. This fee can make the process very frustrating and expensive.

Students should be getting the most of their money while at school, not charged for unnecessary fees.