During the COVID-19 Pandemic, New Jersey and its residents have been hit very hard financially, emotionally, and physically. Many New Jersey residents are out of work and have filed for unemployment. As a student of Rowan University who is out of work due to the Pandemic, I am creating this petition to REDUCE tuition by eliminating the University Fee that is charged for each credit hour for Rowan University students. No student is on campus receiving instruction. Labs are not accessed, gyms, the library- all campus buildings are closed. Rowan has switched to remote learning and is STILL charging students full tuition and fees regardless of this change.





Per Rowan University’s Office of the Bursar: The university fee is $167.65 per credit hour and is capped at the flat rate fee at $1,962.00. It is assessed to all other students at a rate of $161.55 per credit hour. This means that students registering for summer or fall courses are charged an additional $161-167 per credit hour covering costs such as:

“* to offset placement service costs in order to assist all of our students as they proceed from the academic world to the job market.

* The funds received from the University Fee pay for student publications, major concerts, and supports over 100 clubs and organizations.

* The fee helps defray the cost of debt service on recently constructed or renovated buildings as well as the operation and maintenance cost of newly constructed buildings and partially finances the operations of the Recreation Center and Student Center.

* The funds received provide much needed support for expansion and upgrade of our student computer labs and academic programs.”





This quoted information is per Rowan University’s website via the office of the bursar found here at this link: https://sites.rowan.edu/bursar/tuitionfees/feesfacts.html



Why are Rowan students who are taking summer courses subject to such additional payments for services we can essentially not even utilize during this time when the university is inaccessible to students? If remote learning carries into the fall, why are we charging students these fees? Students are hurting enough financially during this pandemic and many are out of work and trying to make ends meet to pay their tuition and finish their degrees at the undergraduate, graduate level, and beyond. Charging an additional $167 per credit hour adds up for a student taking any course let alone 2+ courses.

Rowan university: do not charge students the additional university fee per credit hour for services students will not even be able to use for Summer 2020 and potentially Fall 2020. Cut this cost from tuition and help Rowan students save money and be better able to afford to further their education in light of this pandemic that has hit so many of us in New Jersey hard in an array of ways. Every penny saved for students counts, especially in this time.





Please help make a difference for every college student right now who is stressed, fearful, and struggling to make ends meet. Sign this petition, even write to the president of Rowan University: Ali Houshmand, and make your voices heard !