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Vol.7, No 1, August 30, 1999 
[news]

Student fees refunded

By Ana Tintocalis
Daily Forty-Niner

California State University students who paid their registration fee for the fall 1999 semester before July 14 can expect a state refund in the mail next week.

On July 8, the CSU Board of Trustees passed a 5 percent decrease in state university fees for undergraduates and graduates.

The measure was implemented on July 14, meaning students who paid the basic  registration fee before that date will receive the difference, said Leslie Wolbers, Student Accounts Service manager at Cal State Long Beach.

Although the amounts may vary, the majority of full-time undergraduate and graduate students will receive a refund of $39. Part-time undergraduates will receive $24, while part-time graduate students will be given $21.

"That's a lot of money to process," Wolbers said. "Students can use this money and buy a book or other materials."

Before the reduction, the basic registration fee for full-time undergraduates was $884. These students now pay a total of $845. Similarly, the fee for full-time graduates went from $923 to $884.

Part-time undergraduates saw a drop in their tuition from $569 to $545. The registration fee for part-time graduates went from $590 to $569.

"It's been a big process to track down each person's account to find out what is owed," Wolbers said. "It's a massive effort but things are going smoothly."

Almost 8,000 CSULB students will be receiving refunds and an estimated $240,000 will be allocated, according to Student Accounts Services officials.

Nonresident full-time and part-time students will not enjoy the 5 percent fee decrease, but they will not have to sustain a 10 percent a year increase as in the past, university officials said.  The increase was a result of the Compact for Higher Education, an agreement between former Gov. Pete Wilson and the CSU Regents. Drafted during the state's budget deficit problem, the legislation placed caps on state university fee increases, limiting them 10 percent each year.

"Nonresident registration fees will remain the same as the past year," Wolbers said. "They won't have to pay any additional costs." 

The breakdown in tuition for all CSU students will appear in the CSULB addendum to the fall 1999 schedule of classes. 

This is the first time in nearly a decade that state university fees have been reduced, according to Joe Latter, CSULB vice president of Finance Management.

"Because of the fee decrease, [CSU] students won't have to pay roughly $1.7 million each year," Latter said. "We're pleased to be giving back to the students." 

In an attempt to efficiently reimburse students, university officials have set up a refund schedule based on an individuals' payment method and class load. The following is a list of processing dates:

  • Credit Card

    •      July 28 -- full-time 
         Sept. 14 -- part-time
  • Checks

    •      Aug. 30 -- full-time 
         Sept. 14 -- part time 
  • Financial Aid

    •      Aug. 23 -- all students 


Every student who paid registration before July 14 should receive their refunds by the processing date, Wolbers said..
 
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