Many household name universities have announced that due to the Fall 2020 school semester term predominantly being online with virtual instruction,tuition costs will be reduced. This measure has been adopted in hopes to relieve students of financial burdens as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic affecting job security for many. Students attending universities such as Georgetown University are fortunate enough to receive comprehensive services and options that make up for the lack of certainty the fall semester will bring. While colleges and universities across our nation have been pressured to decrease tuition costs by parents, students, and lawmakers, a small minority of institutions proceeded to acquiesce to their pleas. Queens…
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Are CUNY Students Going to See the Effects of the Health and Wellness Fee?
The CUNY Board of Trustees has voted to increase the tuition once again, this time by $120, putting the extra money towards health and wellness resources. The resources will be put towards facilities such as mental health counseling, women’s healthcare products, and more. Having more resources on campus, a place that’s supposed to be a “home away from home” is going to be a big improvement, but students are demanding to see the changes. “Right now we have STD testing, flu shots, and other routine vaccinations, pain relievers. We’re able to check blood pressure, temperature, and do pregnancy tests,” said Kalua, the Queens College mental health center’s office assistant. “We’re…
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OP-ED: Raising the student activity fee should be the last resort
If the student activity fee were increased, would the benefits to student life on campus outweigh the financial burden this would put on students? That question is not so easily answered. Queens College’s student activity fee is currently $162 per student. With approximately 20,000 students attending QC, this means there is an estimated amount of $3.24 million dollars devoted to fund over 100 clubs at QC. The money also covers organizations such as the Committee for Disabled Students, the Child Development Center and services for students such as the QC shuttle bus. Clubs and student life are vital to the college experience and important resources that all students should have…
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Call for More Funding for CUNY Schools in 2020
CUNY schools are said to be some of the most affordable schools there are for undergraduate and graduate education, but is that really the case? According to Student Debt Relief, the national average for undergraduates during the 2017-2018 school year was $9,970 for in-state residents at public universities, and $25,620 for out-of-state residents at four-year institutions. For four year private schools, the average is $34,740. Either way, more people are graduating with debt than ever. According to CNBC and the College Board, “the average cumulative student debt balance in 2017 was $26,900 for graduates of public four-year schools and $32,600 for graduates of private nonprofit four-year schools.” CUNY’s website lists…
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New Semester, Same Old Questions – How Am I Going to Afford My Degree?
A new semester starts, but many of the same questions about how to afford a college degree remain. For too many students, college is still far from free. Between rising tuition and fees, mounting textbook prices, rent, food, transit, and even child care expenses, Queens College students deserve a break! Flat state funding has left the burden of paying for our expanding CUNY and SUNY institutions increasingly on the backs of students and their families. Tuition has gone up over 35% in just seven years at New York’s public universities. The state has two tuition aid programs which are designed to provide free tuition to low and middle income students.…
