Southern Utah University student wearing a mask on campus. Photo credit: SUU
SALT LAKE CITY — Three of Utah’s universities will reduce their student fees for the Fall 2020 semester.
Both the University of Utah, Utah State University say they will credit each enrolled student $150 to, “support student access, retention and completion during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Students at campuses other than Utah State’s main Logan campus will be credited $95.
Southern Utah University is also following suit. The university says the average student will pay $152.70 less in student fees the fall semester.
Utah’s largest university said in a statement Tuesday they hope the 25% reduction in student fees will keep students enrolled.
“On average, a student carrying a full-time class load at the U pays $624 a semester in fees in addition to tuition. The fee discount will not be taken from any specific fee, but will reduce students’ overall fees,” Mark Winter, associate vice president for budget said.
According to the statement, annual student tuition and fees are about equal to state appropriations in the university’s budget—approximately $367 million each.
The U’s student fees and tuition help fund student resources like health services, the library and much more.
Utah State University’s reasoning for cutting student fees was similar to the U.
“We are sensitive to the fiscal challenges faced by our students at this time,” Winter said. “As a public institution, the university works to operate as closely to actual costs as possible, and we are committed to work diligently to keep those costs as low as possible in the interest of helping students stay in school and complete their degrees.”
Utah State University President Noelle Cockett said the decision came after collaborations between all of the Utah System of Higher Education presidents.
“We are all feeling the crunch of the severe budget constraints this pandemic is causing, and I want our Aggie students to know that I recognize that we are all in this together,” Crockett said.
“I know that the experiences provided by attending a research university come with higher costs, and we also know that times have been economically tough for many of our students this summer,” Cockett said. “For this reason, I felt it was important to do something that shows we care deeply about the challenges our students face.”
Recently, the fees students have been paying have been used to ensure that students would still be able to access university services like library journals, textbooks and telehealth, according to the president.
Crockett said her school is limited in the amount they can reduce fees due to the fixed costs of the university, but that if new federal support is approved, she expects Utah State could add to the reduction in fees.
Southern Utah University is cutting student fees by 40% in order to help students financially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The University is committed to keeping the campus as safe as possible for all students, faculty, staff, and community members,” said SUU President Scott L Wyatt.
“We are also committed to helping students finish their degrees during this financially difficult time. We have been very careful with our budgets and can manage this fee reduction for one semester in order to help our students and their families who are supporting them.”
The one-time student fee reduction “comes on the heels of no tuition or fee increases at SUU for the past two years. And a permanent tuition reduction for students studying one of its numerous online bachelor’s degree programs,” said SUU in a statement Tuesday.
The price cut in student fees for the fall semester exceeds the student athletic fee and several other fees charged along with tuition each semester.