Where are my Commencement Fees going?
Lartisse Lassiter
Section: Student Life
That is a question asked by seniors across campus, which recently and suddenly saw their student accounts decrease when the accounts were debited to cover graduation fees.
In particular, Mia Artson, a candidate for commencement in December, said "I was disturbed," after she recalled the moment when she learned the $130.00 graduation fee plus an additional $30.00 graduation application fee had been deducted to her student account, ultimately, lessening the amount of her eventual refund check. Artson was forced to pay the fees by way of her student account, instead of being notified to pay by cash or check.
The deadline to pay these fees is Nov. 10, so the university's purpose in handling the situation in the aforementioned manner was to assure the payment of the fees in a timely fashion.
Artson would have been fine with all of this had she known this was going to happen. "This is my money and I should know what's happening with it," said Artson. She, like many students, was anticipating the proposed amounts stated in their refund checks prior to the $160.00 withdrawal.
Another candidate for December's commencement exercise, Shameka Brabson, uttered a similar sentiment. When asked how she felt about finding out money had been withdrawn from her student account by viewing it on Spartan Shield, she said it was simply "unnecessary." She would not have known the money had been taken had she not checked Spartan Shield because there were no notifications sent.
In response to the money suddenly being taken out of her account, Brabson said: "It is not right. They should have some type of authorization or let you know when they are taking it out, at least, and where it's going." Despite criticisms by several candidates for graduation, the fees, paid prior to and during the commencement season, have a direct function insists Regina Bynum of the NSU Registrar's Office. Bynum explained the commencement fee of $130.00 helps offset the costs of managing the Commencement.
"Those costs include the venue setup and production, the production of evaluations, the diplomas and diploma covers, 15 announcements, the printing of the commencement booklet that is received during and prior to the commencement and covering postage," said Bynum. "The $30.00 graduation application fee offsets the costs of processing the graduation applications," she added.
"Fees for the cap and gown are paid separately," said Bynum, during a Commencement Fair hosted by the Bookstore. The information about the commencement fees and their functions is all printed in the commencement booklet available online and in print. "I would encourage students to view it," said Bynum.
Students depending on refund checks definitely should refer to either of the commencement booklets.
In particular, Mia Artson, a candidate for commencement in December, said "I was disturbed," after she recalled the moment when she learned the $130.00 graduation fee plus an additional $30.00 graduation application fee had been deducted to her student account, ultimately, lessening the amount of her eventual refund check. Artson was forced to pay the fees by way of her student account, instead of being notified to pay by cash or check.
The deadline to pay these fees is Nov. 10, so the university's purpose in handling the situation in the aforementioned manner was to assure the payment of the fees in a timely fashion.
Artson would have been fine with all of this had she known this was going to happen. "This is my money and I should know what's happening with it," said Artson. She, like many students, was anticipating the proposed amounts stated in their refund checks prior to the $160.00 withdrawal.
Another candidate for December's commencement exercise, Shameka Brabson, uttered a similar sentiment. When asked how she felt about finding out money had been withdrawn from her student account by viewing it on Spartan Shield, she said it was simply "unnecessary." She would not have known the money had been taken had she not checked Spartan Shield because there were no notifications sent.
In response to the money suddenly being taken out of her account, Brabson said: "It is not right. They should have some type of authorization or let you know when they are taking it out, at least, and where it's going." Despite criticisms by several candidates for graduation, the fees, paid prior to and during the commencement season, have a direct function insists Regina Bynum of the NSU Registrar's Office. Bynum explained the commencement fee of $130.00 helps offset the costs of managing the Commencement.
"Those costs include the venue setup and production, the production of evaluations, the diplomas and diploma covers, 15 announcements, the printing of the commencement booklet that is received during and prior to the commencement and covering postage," said Bynum. "The $30.00 graduation application fee offsets the costs of processing the graduation applications," she added.
"Fees for the cap and gown are paid separately," said Bynum, during a Commencement Fair hosted by the Bookstore. The information about the commencement fees and their functions is all printed in the commencement booklet available online and in print. "I would encourage students to view it," said Bynum.
Students depending on refund checks definitely should refer to either of the commencement booklets.
August 30th
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