After four years of college, most students are broke. However, the University finds it necessary to nickel-and-dime its students right up to the very end.
Graduates who wish to participate in the commencement ceremony are forced to pay a $10 participation fee, which doesn’t seem like much until you add it to the additional costs incurred for the graduation ceremony. A $40 graduation package provided by the University Bookstore includes the cap, gown, tassel, participation fee and diploma cover. Graduates who choose not to participate in commencement are also required to pay a $2.50 fee, plus the cost of a diploma cover. These costs add up quickly, and undergraduates alone often end up shelling out more than $40, which doesn’t include extra fees for those who double-major. If the student wishes to purchase optional items, such as graduation announcements, the cost gets even more ridiculous.
It’s unfair for the University to charge students a participation fee or ask them to purchase regalia. After all, every student pays a hefty matriculation fee upon entrance into the University — the fee has risen from $150 for undergraduates entering into the University in 1998 to $200 for those entering
in 2002.
The University states the matriculation fee is intended to be a one-time payment to cover expenses such as orientation services, transcript requests, degree applications and changes in the student’s schedule. However, the fee is large enough that part of it should be appropriated for graduation costs. Caps, gowns, diploma covers and the participation fee should all be paid for with money from the original student matriculation charge. After all, paper, ink and printing costs for transcripts are not likely to top $200 over four years.
Students spend years pouring their time, energy and especially their money into the University. They show their appreciation for receiving a quality education by forking over thousands of dollars. The University can return the appreciation by helping graduates save money — even if it is only $40.