As we approach the end of the semester and calendar year, Huskies across campus are getting ready to enjoy their winter break and take a well-deserved rest. Though the schoolwork might stop, fee bills have recently been released, and they’ll be due in the middle of our break on Jan. 8.
Whether you manage your tuition payments or not, it is imperative that you comprehend your fee bill and understand what you are paying for. The goal of this editorial is to inform students of what these various university fees cover and how they can make the most of that money.
According to the numbers outlined by the Office of the Bursar for undergraduate students in the 2024-2025 academic year, fees, not including tuition, room and board or meal plans, for just one semester add up to just over $2,000, excluding the Husky Book Bundle. For in-state students, this makes up a significant portion of UConn’s cost of attendance.
The first and most substantial mandatory fee is the General University fee, which helps support the programs that make up our entire educational experience. These include services like the One Card Office, recreational services, Athletics, the Student Union and other offices.
Next is the fee associated with Student Health and Wellness but does not include health insurance. UConn sponsored health insurance is an entirely different charge but can be waived if a student already has outside insurance. The fee entitles students to resources like the safer-sex condom delivery service GloveBox, heavily discounted pharmaceutical products, nutrition and substance use advice and other programs dedicated to keeping Huskies healthy. Since undergraduate students pay $388 per semester for SHaW, take advantage of these resources and prioritize your health, especially during finals season.
Along with SHaW’s services, we also pay $250 for the Student Recreation Center fee, required for all Storrs students. The Rec offers a general gym, guided workout classes, rock climbing, outdoor activities and organized sports for students to find fun ways to stay active. The Rec fee is mandatory, and students should take full advantage of the facility to improve their physical and emotional health.
The transit fee, infrastructure fee and technology fee all contribute to the operations of our campus. The transit fee covers our bus service, U-Pass—a card for free bus and train transportation around Connecticut, accessible vans and Safe Rides, while the technology fee supports our classrooms, software and internet services. Students should advocate for any changes or improvements they wish to see in these services, as they are what keeps our campus running. We deserve to reap the benefits of the money we pay.
Finally, the Student Activity fee helps student programs like us, The Daily Campus, operate. It also supports other Tier-III organizations such as the Undergraduate Student Government, the Student Union Board of Governors, Nutmeg Publishing, and our fellow student media organizations UCTV and WHUS, which all give back to the campus community. Whether it be informing the student body on what is going on around campus, providing a free yearbook to every UConn undergraduate their senior year, planning and hosting free activities and events, or overall student leadership and funding help from USG, Tier-III organizations provide a tremendous asset to student life on campus. Students often have a say in the amounts of these fees, as in the past, students have been able to vote for USG referenda that have an influence on the amount of support for these organizations. We encourage students to participate in this voting process when it occurs and support the Tier-III organizations on campus.
UConn students must be aware that paying for college does not end with paying tuition. We also pay for almost every other service offered on campus and we should be a part of making sure that our money works in the ways we need it to. For a more detailed description of fees or information about your fee bill, you can visit the Bursar’s description of fees and their general website.
That being said, enjoy your break, Huskies. Pay your fee bill and we will see you next year.