The Budget Planning Council recommended that Ohio University approve 198 new and increased student fees totaling more than $10,000.
The course fees, requested by university departments, range from $5 increases to a new $3,000 permission-only course fee for recreation and sports science majors.
The fees - expected to raise about $1.1 million - cover activities, classroom software upgrades and materials students cannot purchase independently, said Rebecca Vazquez-Skillings, assistant vice president for Budget Planning and Analysis, adding some fees allow departments to buy supplies in bulk, thereby lessening the cost for individual students.
The new and increased fees were not created specifically to offset the university's projected $15 million budget deficit but, to help save costs overall, Vazquez-Skillings said.
Each new or increased fee was recommended for approval by the BPC except for three parking fee increases totaling $10. The BPC stuck with an earlier decision not to increase the parking fees, said Pete Wickman, president of Graduate Student Senate and a member of the BPC who voted against the increases.
If approved by the OU Board of Trustees, the new and increased fees will raise individual course fees overall by $12,503 to $122,952.
The hope is (that the fees will) not to be an undue burden
Vazquez-Skillings said.
But Wickman questioned the logic of shifting costs from university departments to students.
It is hard to see the value in (holding tuition constant) if we are just going to charge students more money in fees he said, adding, these are effectively tuition increases by another name.
Under a state-mandated tuition freeze, which Gov. Ted Strickland proposed continuing into next year, OU still can increase graduate student tuition and non-general fees.
While acknowledging that the new fees will impact some students' ability to afford college, Student Senate President Michael Adeyanju, a member of the BPC who voted for the increases, said his overriding concern was preserving academics.
I think they are fees to keep the quality of education status quo or improve the quality of education he said.
The fees affect students in a specific class or major, with art, equine studies and recreation and sport sciences courses seeing the most new or increased fees at more than $2,300 each.
All fee revenue for recreation courses, such as kayaking and camping, go toward student traveling expenses and van maintenance, said Ming Li, director of Recreation and Sports Sciences.
(Fee money) is never intended to cover the budget cut
he said.
The co-chairs of the Student Fee Committee were unavailable for comment.
The trustees will review the fees for approval at their meeting in April and, if approved, the fees will take effect Fall Quarter.
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Caitlin Bowling
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