Dear Editor,
I am writing in regards to the new $33 program and services fee for online courses that is listed under program and services fee on Goldlink. This fee is excluding the Regents Online Distance Program (RODP).
I am sure the student body does not know that starting Fall 2005 there is a $33 program and services fee for every online course, televised course, and also if you take a Saturday course.
This fee is supposedly to cover the costs to run what it takes to make these classes work. Well sorry to say this, but we already pay to use the Internet and to use Blackboard by paying our General Access fees which includes the Center for Physical Activities fee, student activity fee, technology access fee, vehicle registration fees, course change fees and graduation fees, so why should we be charged extra to take a non-RODP course.
I have tried to contact people and everyone is giving me the run around.
Also I was told the fees are subject to change after the schedule of courses books are printed. This means fees that already existed prior to Fall 2005. Taking online course that was non-RODP did not cost more than to take a regular class before.
So if this is a new fee, the university should notify the students.
I thought the student government and the student body should have at least a vote on this new fee prior to this coming out.
Nicole DeKam

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