The student fee bill is littered with what seems like a random assortment of fees and expenses. Some fees are non-essential to education and should not be forced on students.
Full-time students at LSU pay for fees like those for UREC and the Student Health Center, but not everyone wants these services. LSU should make the fees optional or offer a refund at the end of each semester to students who do not utilize the programs.
With the Affordable Care Act, young adults can stay on their parents’ health insurance plans until the age of 26. According to College Portrait, in 2014, less than 5 percent of undergraduates were over the age of 25.
With health care mandatory for everyone, receiving health care through LSU is not the efficient way to go. The cost of basic health care by the Student Health Center for the spring and fall semesters is $155 each semester, and the summer cost is $90.
For full-time spring and fall semester students who do not use the Student Health Center, the extra $310 a year is ridiculous. I would rather spend the money on a textbook instead of an unused program.
The Health Center is helpful for those unable to get health care elsewhere, but LSU should make it an optional program. While health care is at least debateable, the fees associated with the UREC are blatantly unnecessary.
For full-time students in the fall and spring, the rate is $200 a semester. For working out at a not-so-well-equipped facility, it’s expensive.
Many students don’t use the UREC at all. Some don’t wish to exercise, while others already have memberships to better or more cost-efficient facilities.
Just with Health Center and UREC fees, full-time students are paying an extra $710 a year in fees. The rising price of tuition and cost of living make every dollar count for some, so why not let them decide how to spend their money?
These are not the only two unnecessary hidden fees, but they are two of the more expensive ones. Another example of unnecessary fees are LSU’s parking fees with no guarantee of a spot to park in.
LSU needs to stop pocketing spare change for programs no one uses and reimburse students who are forced to pay for them. If it turns out no one ends up using the programs, maybe they should rethink their approach on the subject and make spending cuts.
If the university wants to start helping students, like it say it does, reimbursement or optional fees are the way to start. A public university should not pocket unused program fees paid for by students — it is time for change.
Garrett Marcel is a 21-year-old petroleum engineering senior from Houma, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @Gret419