Letter to the Editor: Institutional Fee and other fees too large

Dearest Colonnade Editor,

In the September 9th issue of The Colonnade, I read that the Institutional Fee (which was supposed to expire Summer 2012) is now expected to remain in place due to “financial instability” and “a period of economic strife.”

The fee is one of MANY that we pay, but is the most expensive at $275.

Now, let’s do some simple math. GCSU has over 6,000 students in attendance (6,667 this Fall semester, according to a previous Colonnade article).

I’ll even round that number down to 6,000 students. $275 x 6,000 students = $1,650,000 dollars.

That’s one fee.

I personally had to pay over $1000 in fees for this semester for “lots of different things,” as one business office employee put it when I called to inquire.

Say each student payed roughly $1000 in fees this semester.

6,000 students x $1,000 in fees = SIX MILLION DOLLARS, for ONE semester.

That’s not including ANY tuition factored in.

Not only this, but neighboring the Institutional Fee Article was an article titled “Campus Life receives close to half a million.”

Are you kidding me? “Economic strife!?”

I’m struggling to get through college without taking out a loan, and you’re telling me that this institution is in financial dispair?

Why are you building a $30 Million dollar gym in a time of “economic strife” then?

When can WE have some cutbacks?

I hardly use any of the things I am required to pay for, and I feel that the school cannot even tell me where my money is going.

It seems to be going to “3D technology,” “foam parties,” or “homecoming.” I understand fees are a part of college, but give me a break.

-Jessica Scarlett, senior general art studio manager

Posted by gcsunade on Sep 15 2011. Filed under Letters to the Editor, Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.