Less than eight years ago, Florida legislators passed a law increasing the cost of tuition payments on credits earned over 144 hours. Right before it was set to apply to students, the law was revoked due to its many loopholes and unclear guidelines. Harry Demik, university registrar, recalls reading the newspaper to discover the law had been dropped the weekend before registration was set to begin.
This year, Florida legislators passed the excess hours law again, and for a second time, it provides little or no guidelines by which faculty should carry it out. Students should expect to pay an additional 50 percent for every credit hour earned exceeding 144 hours.
“Part of me hopes that this will go away, but it hasn’t yet,” said Demik. “FAU doesn’t look forward to this.”
Per Florida legislation, the law was enacted to encourage students to complete their bachelor’s degrees in the most efficient way possible. The UP tried to contact Senator Christopher L. Smith, District 29 representative, about the new law, but he was unavailable for questioning.
As with every law, there are exceptions. The registrar’s office is brainstorming to figure out what and whom the exceptions will include and how to implement a program in the system to carry out the new law. According to the law, it will affect students enrolled for the first time in the 2009-10 academic year and thereafter.
The registrar’s office was assigned the responsibility of notifying students about the law, as well as, when they reach 120 credit hours, to be expecting an additional charge. Notifications were sent via e-mail to all FAU students giving a brief explanation of the law requirements.
“I feel like they are trying to make it harder for kids to get through school,” said Jessica Endicott, a freshman engineering major. “It’s ridiculous!”
Students can earn more than 144 credit hours throughout the course of their college career for many different reasons, while some just enjoy challenging themselves by taking additional courses outside of their major requirements.
Freshman Erica Parnell, an undecided major, is debating between two majors and is not sure which path to take. She now worries that she will not have the option of changing her major in the future.
“I’ll be very mad if I get charged a higher tuition rate because I took more classes than required,” said Parnell.
Another factor up for consideration is students with Bright Futures Scholarships. This year, students are now responsible for paying back the cost of withdrawn classes and must attend school full-time. This means students with Bright Futures Scholarships run a double risk of spending even more money toward tuition.
It is not uncommon for students to change their declared major after partially completing the requirements for another major. Students often declare their majors based on which courses they enjoy, and that is determined after the semester is over and hours are applied to a maximum total. The extra expense of tuition may hinder students’ desires to better themselves with extra courses and the freedom to change their minds.
Excess hours will be counted for:
“All credit hours for courses taken at the state university from which the student is seeking a baccalaureate degree, including failed courses, courses that are dropped after the university’s advertised last day of the drop and add period, and repeated courses, except for which the student has paid the full cost of instruction as provided in s. 1009.285.
“All credit hours earned at another institution and accepted for transfer by the state university and applied toward the student’s baccalaureate degree program.”
Exceptions for the new law:
1. “College credits earned through an articulated accelerated mechanism identified in s. 1007.27”
2. “Credit hours earned through internship programs”
3. “Credit hours required for certification, recertification, or certificate programs”
4. “Credit hours in courses from which a student must withdraw due to reasons of medical or personal hardship”
5. “Credit hours taken by active-duty military personnel”
6. “Credit hours required to achieve a dual major taken while pursuing a baccalaureate degree”
7. “Remedial and English as a Second Language credit hours”
8. “Credit hours earned in military science courses (ROTC)”
[Source: www.flsenate.gov]
