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INFORMATION ABOUT MANDATORY FEES 2005-2006 Frequently asked questions What are mandatory fees? Mandatory fees are necessary to provide a complete
range of student services that support the academic environment. UWG has mandatory
fees Activity, Athletic, Health, Technology, Transportation, and Does HOPE cover mandatory fees? HOPE covers most mandatory fees. At UWG, HOPE will cover $281 of the $416 in mandatory fees for full-time students. For more information about HOPE, visit www.westga.edu/~finaid. Do all public universities in Within the University System of Georgia (USG), mandatory fees for full-time
students range from $62 at some two-year institution to more than $500 at some
4-year institutions. Some USG institutions pro-rate fees
for part-time students, while others do not. For 2005-2006, UWG's mandatory
fees for full-time students are the fifth highest of the state's 19 public universities
(below Why should I have to pay fees for services I do not use? UWG's fees and fee policies have been carefully set to provide the best possible services to the widest possible range of students at a reasonable cost. We have attempted to establish a policy that spreads the costs out as equitably as possible. It may help for you to think about these fees in the same way as you think about school taxes. Many people without children pay taxes that support their local schools, even though they will never personally "use" that service - but they certainly benefit from that expense, because quality schools are necessary for a quality community environment. In that same way, university fees insure the quality of the UWG community. When you examine the fees further, you will probably find that you actually "use" some of them more than you realize, that you benefit from some without realizing it, and that you could benefit from others if you choose to use them. How does UWG decide how much to charge for mandatory fees? Each fee is reviewed annually by separate committees. By University System of Georgia policy, the membership of each committee is at least half students. The committees make recommendations to the President, who in turn makes recommendations to the Board of Regents. Why are some mandatory fees based on the hours a student takes, while others cost the same for full and part-time students? All students, regardless of the number of hours they take, are required to
pay the full Technology fee because full-time and part-time students generally
benefit equally from that fee. The Technology fee supports a variety of technological
services that enhance the academic experience. All students taking at least
5 hours are required to pay the full Health fee. The Health fee makes the campus
safer and healthier for all students (for example, by insuring that students
are immunized, providing treatment for infectious diseases, and educating the
campus community on ways to be healthier and safer). The Transportation, Athletic,
Activity, and Following is a description of each of the mandatory fees: Activity fee: The student activity fee supports many co-curricular activities at the University, including, but not limited to the newspaper, other student publications, university television, debate team, drama and music programs, fine arts, art exhibits, intramurals, student research grants, the Student Government Association, and select other student organizations and activities. A list of all activities funded by the Activity fee is available from the office of Student Activities. Athletic fee: The athletic fee supports the intercollegiate athletic programs of the university. Students who have paid the fee are granted free admission to all regular season football, basketball, and baseball games. Intercollegiate sports for women include basketball, cross country, volleyball, and softball; and for men, baseball, basketball, football, and cross country. Specific questions about what the Athletic fee funds should be directed to the Athletics Administration office. Health fee: The health fee covers most services provided in the university Health Service, including consultation with the physician and nurses, most prescriptions, and some tests done in house (for specific questions about health services, students should contact that office – 839-6452 – which is open 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. M-F when classes are in session.). The service is primarily for diagnosis, first aid, and treatment of minor or short-term illnesses or injuries. The Health fee also funds a variety of health education programs which are free to students. This fee does not cover the costs of services when a student must be referred to other medical personnel or facilities. It also does not provide insurance coverage. Information about a student medical insurance policy is available in the Office of the Vice President for Student Services or the Health Services Office. Technology Fee: This fee is used to purchase instructional technology that directly benefits students. This includes classroom technology like overhead projectors and smartboards, software applications, library databases, and computer hardware. For more information and to see a list of funded projects, visit www.westga.edu/~techfees. Transportation fee: This fee covers the cost of a vehicle parking permit for each student and the shuttle bus service on campus. The Transportation fee insures that there is adequate parking and that the traffic flow allows students to move through the campus in a timely manner (for example, you may not ride the bus, but because other students do, the campus is less congested and parking is more available for you). Unlike at some institutions, there are no additional parking fees. |
