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POLL: Should Kent State Review its Overload Fee?

Students are protesting a fee applied to credit hours beyond 17 per semester

 

Despite student protests, Kent State University Provost Todd Diacon said Thursday university administrators have no immediate plans for reviewing a change in course fees approved last month.

Starting next fall, students will be charged the individual credit-hour fee of $440 for all enrolled hours above 17 credit hours. The average Kent State student is enrolled in 13.5 credit hours per semester. During the 2013-2014 academic year, students who enroll in more than 16 credit hours per semester will be charged the standard credit-hour rate for each additional hour.

Students started protesting the fee Monday with events outside campus administrative offices.

Diacon said the fee is common at universities across the state and nation and is necessary for campus operations.

"Most universities across the country charge some sort of overload fee once you reach a certain number of credit hours of enrollment," he said. "Once you reach a certain plateau … you begin to pay the overload fee to help recoup the cost of instruction for those extra courses taken."

Do you think university administrators should take a second look at how those costs are paid for?

  • POLL: Should Kent State re-examine the student fee change made last month that resulted in a fee hike?

    (Voting has been closed for this question)
    • Yes.
        39 (86%)
    • No.
        6 (13%)
    Total votes: 45
  • Your vote will only count once. This is not a scientific poll. View Results Vote!
Related Topics: Kent State University, Protest, and student fees
Is the fee merely a necessity in light of cutbacks in state financial support for higher education? Tell us in the comments.

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