Just as the fight against tuition increases gains way, UCF is now looking into new ways to charge its 60,000 students.
The Orlando Business Journal reports that the UCF Finance and Facilities Committee will meet on Dec. 12 to look at raising credit hour fees for all students taking classes at UCF–the total amount proposed raises each hour’s fee $2.59 along with the addition of a $10 fee charged every semester.
The Business Journal reports the following increases in fees:
Increasing the health fee from $10.30 per credit hour to $10.89 per credit hour. The money would be used to hire one advanced registered nurse practitioner psychiatrist, a part-time dietitian and four mental health specialists. Money would also go toward offering a rapid HIV test and marketing.
Increasing the capital improvement fee from $6.76 per credit hour to $8.76 per credit hour, the full amount allowed by law. The fee would be used to help fund the John C. Hitt Library Renovation project and “other planned student service building projects.”
Increasing the orientation program from $35 to $50. The fee hasn’t been increased since 2003 and would be used to increase the $2,100 stipend paid to the 35 students who run the orientation programs, although the exact amount that the stipend would be increased wasn’t immediately clear.
Imposing a new $10 education planning fee, which would fund UCF participating in a multi-school predictive analytics program. The goal is to have enhanced advising so students are more likely to graduate and shorten the time it takes to graduate. The fee is anticipated to raise $1.29 million annually, and may have opportunities for external vendors to bid on contracts.
This announcement comes only days after state universities, including UCF, joined in Tallahassee to propose a deal with the state of Florida. The deal essentially calls for $118 million in new funding for universities from Florida and in turn, no tuition will be raised at any school.
SGA President Cortez Whatley is among those who serve on the Finance and Facilities Committee that will look into raising the fees.
KnightNews.com will continue to follow this story and the committee’s decision.
