2008 Woodie Awards
Graduate student upset by additional fee
Jerry Arnold
Issue date: 10/9/07 Section: Campus News
"I just think it's unethical," says Bill Tyminski, a UNCG grad student. Tyminski, who is studying Geography, recently discovered that a $30 fine had been placed on his student account for a Late Registration Fee.
"I do a payroll deduction to pay tuition, so I check to be sure everything is taken out correctly … that's when I noticed additional charges on my student account," explains Tyminski. "So I called about it."
Knowing he had registered for his classes within the allotted window, he called the UNCG Registrar's Office.
The $30 fee occurs when a student changes their schedule completely, registering for a completely new set of classes. This change can happen all at once, or gradually one class at a time. When Tyminski had changed the only two classes he was enrolled in as a grad student, the fee had been placed on his account.
"They told me it was something the software automatically charges the account for," says Tyminski. "Because we use the same software as other colleges and universities that do use this fee, it charges us too. They can't change the software for just us."
When the problem was addressed, Tyminski says there were no complaints about taking the fee off.
"There was really no hassle about it. [The administrator] said that I wasn't supposed to be charged that, so she would get it taken off, and the fee was taken off that day."
Tyminski says he wonders why students are not made aware of the fine.
"[The Registrar] said it was the student's responsibility to check their student accounts," explains Tyminski. "I just think something should be done, since they couldn't care less.
When asked about the fee, the UNCG Registrar's office directs students to the Late Registration Fee information on their office's website, which lists the fines and explanations for both Early Registration and Late Registration.
"We do expect students to look at their bills," adds Kelly A. Rowett-James, of the University Registrar. "I do not believe this is an unreasonable expectation."
For more information, students can check out the UNCG Registrar's Office website at www.uncg.edu/reg/Reg/current/PaymentsBills.html
"I do a payroll deduction to pay tuition, so I check to be sure everything is taken out correctly … that's when I noticed additional charges on my student account," explains Tyminski. "So I called about it."
Knowing he had registered for his classes within the allotted window, he called the UNCG Registrar's Office.
The $30 fee occurs when a student changes their schedule completely, registering for a completely new set of classes. This change can happen all at once, or gradually one class at a time. When Tyminski had changed the only two classes he was enrolled in as a grad student, the fee had been placed on his account.
"They told me it was something the software automatically charges the account for," says Tyminski. "Because we use the same software as other colleges and universities that do use this fee, it charges us too. They can't change the software for just us."
When the problem was addressed, Tyminski says there were no complaints about taking the fee off.
"There was really no hassle about it. [The administrator] said that I wasn't supposed to be charged that, so she would get it taken off, and the fee was taken off that day."
Tyminski says he wonders why students are not made aware of the fine.
"[The Registrar] said it was the student's responsibility to check their student accounts," explains Tyminski. "I just think something should be done, since they couldn't care less.
When asked about the fee, the UNCG Registrar's office directs students to the Late Registration Fee information on their office's website, which lists the fines and explanations for both Early Registration and Late Registration.
"We do expect students to look at their bills," adds Kelly A. Rowett-James, of the University Registrar. "I do not believe this is an unreasonable expectation."
For more information, students can check out the UNCG Registrar's Office website at www.uncg.edu/reg/Reg/current/PaymentsBills.html
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Stephanie Kirkpatrick
posted 10/10/07 @ 8:58 AM EST
I understand that the University Registrar office expects students to check their bills, that certainly isn't unreasonable. But after receiving an undergraduate AND graduate degree from UNCG, I know first-hand that many "mysterious" fees for this and that do show up on semester bills, usually with no explanation. (Continued…)
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