With many college students now home through the new year on an extended break, more and more of them are asking why they have to pay campus fees for a full semester they never had.
Bonnie Greco's daughter was looking forward to her freshman year at the University of Tennessee, but instead of living in a college dorm, she's doing her online classes from home in the neighborhood she grew up in. But Bonnie said they've been forced to pay campus fees.
"We've got a facility fee that's come up, there is a transportation fee," Bonnie said.
Those fees total several hundred dollars and her daughter's never been on campus.
"We visited campus a year ago, I want to say," she said.
More and more parents have the same complaint right now. They wonder why they have to pay for campus life and transportation fees when their child's campus is their parents' home.
Last month, David Utz complained that his college student son was charged campus fees while learning at home.
"This year, they are charging him a mandatory recreation fee, and to get a parking pass," Utz said.
Some parents are hiring lawyers.
Boston College and the University of San Diego are facing lawsuits over remote learning charges.
Some colleges are cutting fees.
Miami University did not charge campus fees the six weeks the school was delayed.
But Tennessee said it is "keeping the fee structure to support new investments needed due to the pandemic, off-set cost increases and keep charges lower for all students.
