OPINION: Remember These Three Steps To Understand Student Fees

("Money - Savings" by 401(K) - 2012 via Flickr)

To the typical student, student fees can sometimes be difficult to understand. Many know they are out there, but they often do not understand why, how they work, or even what they can do about them. Students can understand student fees better if they follow these three steps: think of them as taxes, remember student government is a democracy and keep them separate from university fees. If a student follows these steps, then he will understand student fees better.

First, students can understand student fees better if they think of them as taxes. In his College Student Affairs Journal article ''The History of Student Governance in Higher Education”, Walter P. May notes the genesis of both student fees and of student government.

Early on, some students who lived at school eventually got bored with the curriculum and decided to pool their money to fund additional lectures on other subjects. For example, in addition to the basic math and grammar curriculum courses tuition paid for, together students funded lectures series on extracurricular subjects such as Roman history, astronomy or other topics to enrich their experience and broaden their education. These are the beginnings of both student fees and student government.

Today, the University collects the fees from students for student government and the government oversees their rates and distribution. In this case, student fees are like taxes for the student body. Student government imposes them upon the student population for the body's collective educational and cultural enrichment.

When it comes to student fees, students should remember that student government is a democracy. Therefore, changes to student services fees—whether an increase or decrease—require a student-wide vote.

For example, in fall 2021 students rejected a proposal to increase the mandatory athletics fee in a student wide vote by 43.85% to 56.15%. This vote happened because as a democratic government, student government must gain student approval before it can impose any new burdens upon the population. So, student government did not enact the proposed increase. Students who can remember that student government is a democracy will have a better understanding of how student fees work and how they can participate in the democratic process with respect to student fees.

Finally, it is important keep student fees separate from university separate, as they are not the same. For instance, student fees require a vote, but university fees do not. Students pay both, but one is a fee student government imposes for cultural enrichment and special services. The other is a fee the University imposes for operational purposes.

For example, here is list of student fees.

• Student Service Fee
• Fine And Performing Arts Fee
• Intercollegiate Athletics Fee
• Medical Services Fee
• Recreational Facilities Fee
• Student Union Fee
• International Education Fee

Here is a list of university fees.

• Parking Permit Fee
• Records Fee
• Automated Services Fee
• Drop Fee
• Replacement Diploma Fee

(Yes, the University can raise your parking permit fee without your permission!)

The student fees require a student vote. The university fees do not.

Students should recognize the differences between student fees and university fees so they know which ones are within their control.  

Understanding student fees can be difficult for the average student. However, every student can understand student fees better if they follow these three steps: think of student fees as taxes, recognize student government is a democracy and keep student fees and university fees separate in their mind. If they follow these steps, then they are on their way to a better understanding of student fees.  

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Feature Image: "Money - Savings" by 401(K) - 2012 via Flickr