SGA takes a stand against tuition surcharge increase

Lizz Wood | Staff Writer

The members of Student Government Association decided to address the sudden increase of the tuition surcharge by collecting student signatures and sending them to the UNC Board of Governors. The N.C. General Assembly instituted an amendment to raise the tuition surcharge from 25 to 50 percent.

According to Jonathan Reece, Associate UNCW Registrar, “effective this semester, the 50 percent tuition surcharge is applied to all applicable students. No grandfathering rules exist.” The surcharge is imposed on students who take more than 140 degree credit hours to complete a bachelor’s degree in a four-year program, or more than 110 percent of the credit hours necessary to complete a degree in any program.

These credit hours include classes that a student fails or does not complete. Not included are summer and extension courses, as well as credit earned through Advanced Placement classes or CLEP examinations.  The surcharge will be enforced in the fall or spring semester and in all subsequent semesters where a student’s cumulative credit hour total exceeds the threshold. The surcharge does not apply to required fees.

There is also a waiver process available for students who think they have suffered extenuating circumstances such as prolonged illness or disability, military service or extraordinary hardship. The procedure for applying for a waiver is on the Registrar’s page at http://uncw.edu/reg/students-tuitionSurch.htm.

Dylan Figlo, who serves on SGA as the College of the Arts and Sciences Senator, says this is an issue that must be addressed quickly. “I think as a student body, there is a general consensus this isn’t something we agree with because it’s really drastic. They made the decision so quickly and we have limited time to act,” Figlo said. To support this, Figlo suggests finding an SGA senator and getting all the facts.

“A lot of students don’t know about this, and that’s why things can go by without a hitch,” he said. “It’s our duty to let students know about issues that affect them. We’re trying to do an extensive job, and it will show that students have obvious support.