Mandatory fee unjustifiable

After the lab fees have been paid, the books have been bought, the student activity fee taken care of and the loan papers have been signed, ULV students still are not out of the red.

As juniors, students are forced to pay $110 to "apply" for graduation. Applying to get into the University is not enough, one must apply in order to 'get out'. How the institution justifies this extra $110 is baffling.

The fee covers the rental of a cap and gown, for the three-hour-long graduation. In addition the fee covers an evaluation of student transcripts to ensure that requirements are met. However, should not the task of evaluating one's classes fall into the hands of the each students academic advisors. While many students assert that their advisors play a small role in their academic career, the least that advisors could do is review our transcripts on the Banner program.

The tuition that each and every student pays should collectively fund the graduation ceremony, which can't be that expensive considering its held on campus. And considering the keynote speaker is typically not someone of prominence, and thus does not cost a lot either, how the university can keep justifying students paying a pretty penny here and there (or rather several thousand Benjamins here and there) is beyond the Campus Times (and beyond the budgets of most students).

When did higher education get so expensive?