WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - The dean of Wichita State University’s College of Engineering has apologized to students for failing to warn them earlier about new fee increases.
Royce Bowden emailed 3,000 students from his college this week, saying, “I apologize that more information was not communicated sooner” about the higher fees, The Wichita Eagle reported (https://bit.ly/1EdFC0d ).
The expanded fee charges both engineering and health professions students $50 per credit hour for every class they take at Wichita State. They had been paying the $50-per-credit-hour fee only for courses they take for their major.
“We realize the program fee of $50 per credit hour for all courses taken at Wichita State will increase the amount you pay to obtain a degree from the College of Engineering,” Bowden wrote. “Our top priority for the new funds is to hire additional faculty into the College of Engineering.”
About 75 engineering students have called student leaders expressing shock at bills that, in some cases, added more than $1,000 to the student costs.
Taben Azad, an engineering student who represents the college’s students in the Wichita State student senate, said, by contrast, Sandra Bibb, dean of health professions, which raised and expanded program fees, sent a letter to her students July 8 informing them of the increases.
Wichita State spokesman Lou Heldman acknowledged “we didn’t do a good job” of communicating, but said university President John Bardo plans to meet with student leaders soon to hear their concerns.
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Information from: The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, https://www.kansas.com
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