Separation of funds means double tuition for some USU students
The idea of having to pay double tuition is ridiculous, but for some Utah State University students, it is a reality. Those traditional students who take on-campus classes and also wish to take classes that are offered through Continuing Education with Extensions or vice versa must pay two tuition fees.
This began about two years ago when the State Legislature separated the funds for Extension from that of the main USU campus. “What happened was the Logan center [and the other extensions] became a line-item appropriate center, specifically serving non-traditional students,” said Weldon Sleight, associate vice president of University Extension. This meant that the money given to Extension by the Legislature was only to be used to serve non-traditional students or those who don’t attend the main USU campus.
Previous to this time, students who lived in Cache Valley or Box Elder County and wanted to take classes at both the Brigham City Campus or Logan Center and USU could simply add their credits together and pay one lump fee, which, if it reached the credit plateau, was a much smaller amount. Now tuition is paid bottom up for each Extension and the main campus. Gary Straquadine, vice provost for Academic and Faculty Serv, explained, “It’s like writing a separate check to each university.”
Sleight said these fees help to pay the instructor, which wasn’t happening when traditional students would take the evening classes through the Continuing Education, or the other way. This is the main reason students must pay two separate tuition fees.
Previously, evening classes – those that were after 3:30 p.m. – were meant for non-traditional students to further their education. But the courses became “niche” classes needed for traditional students, Straquadine said. “The classes offered through evening school didn’t meet general education needs.”
When this line-item change occurred, the evening class program was moved to the provost office under the direction of Straquadine. “In my humble opinion, it is now set up better,” Straquadine said. This is because those general education classes needed by non-traditional students are now being offered.
While this hurt traditional students wanting to take other night classes and now have to take them through the Extension programs, Straquadine said if there are enough students on campus needing a class, they work hard to get an instructor here and help them avoid paying the extra fees.
A slight decline in student enrollment at the Logan Center was reported by Vince Lafferty, executive director of the Logan Center. This is due to students finding different ways to get the classes they need without paying double tuition.
Student reactions have varied over this change. Straquadine said the number of calls he receives each week has decreased from about 40 to two or three. As students learn and understand the program, they try to work their schedule to include all campus or all Extension classes.
Natalie Adams, a junior in pre-dental hygiene, took both on-campus and Extension classes last year. “It bothers me a lot because the Extension works around your schedule, but doesn’t offer some classes you need. You have to take [upper-division classes] on campus while taking Extension classes and paying the double tuition,” Adams said. She said she felt more comfortable in the Extension classes, but had to take campus classes to fulfill requirements. This is true for many students, yet it also goes the other way with campus students taking Extension classes because they can’t get them or fit them into their schedule on campus.
Dealing with this change hasn’t been easy for anyone involved. The directors know this and hope that informing students about why it must happen can help make the change easier. “Above all, I wish it was different,” Sleight said of having to pay separate tuitions. For now, students will have to carefully select the classes they wish to take at one institution or pay double tuition.
-albaugh@usu.edu