Students at the University of Nevada, Reno could pay hundreds more next year in student fees if four proposed increases are approved. For students taking a 15-credit load, the new fees could add $237.50 to their costs every semester.
On top of regular tuition, students at the university taking a full-time, 15-credit load are already on the hook for $573.50 in mandatory student fees. These fees cover things like the Student Health Center and the operating budget of the university’s student government, the Associated Students of the University of Nevada.
Some of these fees raise money to repay the construction costs of buildings that have already been finished, like the E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center or the Joe Crowley Student Union.
The ASUN Fee and the Technology Fee are calculated based on how many credits a student is enrolled in. Taking fewer credits means you pay slightly less, while taking more credits means you pay more.
Any new fees, or increases to existing fees, have to be approved by the Board of Regents, the Nevada System of Higher Education’s governing body. They’ll be meeting Dec. 4-5 to vote on proposals that could go into effect next year.
Anyone who’s concerned about the fee proposals can submit public comment for the meeting here.
Here’s a breakdown of each fee proposal, what it’s for and what it could cost you each semester:
Technology Fee Raise: $9 more per credit, $135 more for students taking 15 credits
Technology Fee Total: $18 per credit, $270 for students taking 15 credits
The Technology Fee could double to $18 per credit, coming in at $270 per semester for students enrolled in 15 credits.
Students already pay $9 per credit to support technology at the university, which includes things like classroom technology, public computers, student software access and PeopleSoft, which students use to register for classes and pay tuition, according to Catherine Cardwell, dean of Libraries at the university.
Just the license to use Canvas, the classroom management software, cost the university $244,030.70 this year, according to Ed Huffman, executive director of the Office of Digital Learning. Huffman said that the cost of this software, and others, is bound to keep rising.
The technology fee is the most expensive of all current student fees for students at 15 credits. Its increase is also the most expensive of all those proposed.
Fieldhouse Project Fee: $3.50 per credit, $52.50 for students taking 15 credits
Nevada Athletics is set to make all students foot much of the bill for a $25 million indoor practice facility. The facility would serve as an indoor field in inclement weather to intramural and club sports teams, as well as competitive sports like soccer and track and field, according to Stephanie Rempe, director of Nevada Athletics.
Rempe also said the facility would be open for all students for a few hours each day.
Like with the Fitness Center and Student Union Fees, the $3.50 per credit that Nevada Athletics is asking for would help the university pay back the cost of construction for the facility, which would only go forward if the fee is approved.
It comes out to $52.50 per semester for students taking 15 credits.
Counseling Fee: $25 more per semester
Total: $95 per semester
Counseling Services is asking to raise its $70 per semester fee to $95.
The fee increase would help Counseling Services keep their offerings at their current level despite rising labor costs, and possibly hire more clinical staff, according to Yani Dickens, director of Counseling Services. Dickens said that some 60% of college students struggle with anxiety or depression and that mental health concerns are one of the top reasons students don’t finish college.
In order to combat the cost burden during the fall and spring semesters, the summer term Counseling Fee would also decrease from $70 to $47.50, according to Carla Franich, Counseling Services’ director of Outreach and Community Relations.
Academic Success Fee: $25 more per semester
Total: $50 per semester
The University Tutoring Center, University Writing & Speaking Center and University Math Center are all asking for a $25 increase to the Academic Success Fee, which they all share.
All three centers have cut working hours for student tutors and overall hours of operation to keep up, according to Marsha Urban, Maureen McBride and Danelle Clarke, directors of the three centers. McBride also said that the cuts have started to impact students’ ability to get academic help.
Total Increase: $237.50 more per semester for students taking 15 credits
Grand Total With Existing Fees: $811 per semester for students taking 15 credits
With the mandatory student fees that you’re already paying, the new fee proposals add up. If you’re enrolled in 15 credits next year, you could pay a total of $811 per semester in student fees.
That’s about the cost of 2.88 undergraduate credits, which cost $281 apiece for Nevada residents. To put that in perspective, that’s nearly what it would cost you in registration to enroll in another 3-credit class.
All this will be decided at the Board of Regents meeting Dec. 4 -5. The agenda for the meeting can be found here.
Peregrine Hart can be reached via email at peregrineh@unr.edu or on Instagram @pintofperegrine.
