As student majors in the School of Media and Public Affairs grumble about a $1,000 fee that will become a permanent addition to their yearly GW tuition bills, GW Vice President and Treasurer Louis Katz says that students are misinterpreting the purpose of the added cost.
Katz said the fee is needed in order for the school to remain competitive and may increase as the school gains prestige.
"You have to charge what is a competitive price to get the quality of student needed for a better program," Katz said.
Students majoring in political communication, journalism or electronic media will pay $28,790 in tuition in 2002-03, compared to GW's general tuition rate of $27,790 for next year. Students minoring in one of the three disciplines pay an extra $500.
The Student Association passed a resolution against the fee in 2000 after expressing concern that the fee would deter some students from applying to the program.
While SMPA interim Director Jarol Manheim said the money from the fee goes to building technology, Katz said the fee is split between facilities, curriculum and technology.
"The fee is applied, and all of the money collected from it is used to support, maintain and replace all the equipment in the SMPA," Manheim said.
Many students said they do not use the equipment because it is not useful in their major or they do not have access to it.
Sophomore Suzanne Jordan said most of the equipment in the building is useless to her because she is a political communication major.
"I doubt that I would have a need in my classes, as they are right now, to use the equipment. Most of political communication is theory," Jordan said.
Junior Jordan Vendetti, a political communication major, said, "There's a lot more equipment in this building that I don't use because I don't take the classes (in which it is used)."
Professor of Media and Public Affairs Christopher Sterling said he has heard students complain about the fee.
Katz said the fee is needed in order for the school to remain competitive and may increase as the school gains prestige.
"You have to charge what is a competitive price to get the quality of student needed for a better program," Katz said.
Students majoring in political communication, journalism or electronic media will pay $28,790 in tuition in 2002-03, compared to GW's general tuition rate of $27,790 for next year. Students minoring in one of the three disciplines pay an extra $500.
The Student Association passed a resolution against the fee in 2000 after expressing concern that the fee would deter some students from applying to the program.
While SMPA interim Director Jarol Manheim said the money from the fee goes to building technology, Katz said the fee is split between facilities, curriculum and technology.
"The fee is applied, and all of the money collected from it is used to support, maintain and replace all the equipment in the SMPA," Manheim said.
Many students said they do not use the equipment because it is not useful in their major or they do not have access to it.
Sophomore Suzanne Jordan said most of the equipment in the building is useless to her because she is a political communication major.
"I doubt that I would have a need in my classes, as they are right now, to use the equipment. Most of political communication is theory," Jordan said.
Junior Jordan Vendetti, a political communication major, said, "There's a lot more equipment in this building that I don't use because I don't take the classes (in which it is used)."
Professor of Media and Public Affairs Christopher Sterling said he has heard students complain about the fee.
