Student Fees 2011-2012

How they're used and what they provide

In Georgia, by state regulation, there are certain costs on college campuses (including transportation, athletics, health services, activities, etc.) for which state funds cannot be used.  It is the policy of the University System's Board of Regents that for those costs, enrolled students be assessed mandatory fees on a per person basis.  Any increases to those fees have to be proposed by a campus committee that is majority-student, and then approved by the Regents.

Fees (with the exception of the Institution fee) are at reduced rates for less than full-time students.  See http://www.gcsu.edu/businessoffice/undergraduate.htm for complete fee schedules.

*While the other fees fund services on campus, the Activity Center Fee and Wellness Center Fee pay for buildings that were or are being constructed with bond revenue.  In each case, the Georgia College Student Government Association recommended a special fee over 20 years to pay the bonds for the facilities. 

Institutional Fee: $275 per semester - This fee is one that was created at all public colleges and universities throughout the University System of Georgia over the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 academic years by the Board of Regents, in order to continue funding to higher education during a period of economic crisis.

Activity Center Fee: $42 per semester – This fee pays for the purchase and renovation of the former Methodist Church across the street from the campus front lawn that is now the Georgia College Student Activity Center.  The Center includes the Magnolia Ballroom and "The Den," the student living room, as well as student meeting and organizational space.  It also helps to fund the creation of the Irwin Street parking lot.

Activity Fee: $81 per semester – This fee supports the programs and services that are listed below:

Recreational Sports
Student have access to the Centennial Center which includes an outdoor pool, an indoor track, racquetball courts, and regularly scheduled aerobics sessions.  The intramural program offers 15 sports for student participation and sends winning teams to state and regional tournaments.  Funding is provided to sport clubs (including lacrosse, volleyball, men's soccer and ultimate frisbee) that are opened to students.  The Intramural Complex on West Campus has three softball fields and one soccer field.  Over 400 teams participate in a variety of sports (flag football, soccer, basketball, and softball). 

Social and Entertainment
Events include university music and theatre programs to which students are admitted free or at a reduced rate.  The Campus Activities Board has a year-long schedule of social, educational and entertainment events; an online calendar is available on the Department of Campus Life's web site at http://gcsu.orgsync.com/Calendar .  This fee also provides events such as the Week of Welcome and Homecoming and covers staffing expenses for the Centennial Center and the Student Center.

Student Publications
The fee pays for the campus newspaper The Colonnade, which is distributed around the campus each Friday. It also supports The Peacock's Feet literary magazine, which is published annually and distributed for free. 

Student Government
Funding is provided for the Student Government Association, which manages the Student Academic Travel Fund.  Students who are presenting research with faculty may apply for funding from this source by calling SGA at 478-445-2795.  Funds are also provided through SGA for Recognized Student Organizations to assist with their programming and travel needs. 

The GIVE (Georgia College Involved in Volunteer Efforts) Center in Ennis Hall receives its operating, staffing and programming funds from the activity fee.  The GIVE Center is responsible for community service and volunteer efforts on campus.

Other Student Activities and Reserves
Funding is provided for the overall operation, facilities, and staffing of the Department of Campus Life, the Student Activities Center and the Maxwell Student Union.  The Student Activities Center is open to students 8 a.m. – 10 p.m., Monday through Friday and noon – 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.  The fee also supports the annual Bobcat Awards Ceremony.  Annual funding is provided for several key campus organizations that are open to all students.  A percentage of the activity fee revenue is set aside to protect against an enrollment shortfall or to fund renovations or special student needs and events.

Wellness Center Fee: $125 per semester – This fee funds the construction and bond payments for a 101,000-square foot comprehensive Wellness & Recreation Center on the West Campus, which when it opens, will become one of the focal points of daily student life. The WRC will contain three indoor courts, two indoor pools, fitness and weight-training equipment, an indoor jogging track, a climbing wall, and various other fitness facilities in addition to expanded Student Health Center and Counseling Center space. 

Bobcat Card Fee: $9 per semester – This fee funds a portion of annual support and maintenance on all equipment associated with the one card system at Georgia College. 

Transportation Enhancement Fee: $10.50 per semester

Parking Fee: $55.50 per semester

The transportation enhancement fee and parking fee provides funding for Central and West Campus (Milledgeville Campuses) transportation service and maintenance of surface parking.  Payment of this mandatory fee provides all students with either a Commuter (C) or Resident (R) parking permit depending upon whether they reside in off-campus or on-campus housing respectively and allows students to utilize the appropriately designated C or R lots as well as any Perimeter (P) lot.  Additionally, this fee allows students unlimited access to the university shuttle system that runs regular routes from most parking lots and all resident halls while school is in session and on limited basis during non-class times.  Accordingly, the “Parking Fee” is charges to all students, regardless of whether they have a vehicle that is registered on-campus.   

For additional information, visit the individual parking or transportation Web sites or contact Parking and Transportation Services at 478-445-7433.

Health Fee: $95 per semester – This fee provides funding for the following services and benefits:

• Operation of the Student Health Clinic
• Outpatient medical care for minor illnesses and injuries provided by Nurse Practitioners
• A network of referral services are available in the community and used when needed
• Health information and other types of educational materials are available in the Clinic
• Most medications provided at no cost
• Free HIV testing; inexpensive women's health examinations
• Operation of The Wellness Depot

The Student Health Center is located in Beeson Hall (on Montgomery Street) and is open from 8:15 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.  The Health Fee covers most services provided at the clinic at no additional costs to the student.  There is no charge for visits and most medications and supplies are provided free.  There are charges associated with some lab tests and in the case of referral to another health care provider.  It is not necessary to have health insurance to be seen in the clinic but students are strongly encouraged to have health insurance in the event of emergencies or referral.  For more information on the Student Health Center, call 478-445-5288.

The Health Fee also covers the costs of using The Wellness Depot.  The Depot is available to students for weight training and exercise programs as well as health educational programs.

Athletic Fee: $175 per semester – This fee provides funding for the Georgia College intercollegiate athletics programs.  Individual admission to all athletic events is free to Georgia College students with a valid University ID.  The Bobcats compete at the NCAA Division II level and are members of the Peach Belt Conference.  Our institution sponsors teams in men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, softball, women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's tennis, competitive cheerleading and men's golf, and a dance team - "The SassyCats".  NCAA Division II requires that an institution complete in at least ten intercollegiate sports. 

Georgia College Athletics was awarded the Commissioner's Cup for the second straight season in 2009-2010, being recognized as the top overall athletic program in the Peach Belt Conference.  Seven of the ten NCAA sponsored teams qualified for and competed in the NCAA tournament representing Georgia College in their respective sport.  Georgia College had the highest percentage of student-athletes on the Peach Belt Presidential Honor Roll of all member institutions, with 93 student-athletes having a GPA of 3.00 or higher for the academic year.

For more information, please contact Georgia College Athletics at 478-445-6341.

Tech (Technology) Fee: $68 per semester – The funds generated by this fee are designated for activities that benefit the students at-large.  Typical expenditures at Georgia College include support for maintaining the Library and Instructional Technology Center (LITC) computer labs and software for student use at all locations, replacement and expansion of student used hardware, support for multimedia classrooms, including The Macon Center and the Warner Robins Center.  As mandated by the University System Board of Regents, this fee is paid by all students enrolled at any University System of Georgia Institution; graduate, undergraduate, full-time, part-time, web based classes only students, etc. 

For the LITC operating hours and general information, please visit: http://www.gcsu.edu/library/cas/hours.htm

For more information please contact the Student Technology Fee Advisory Committee at stf@gcsu.edu.

Contact Information
E-mail: Office of Student Affairs
Georgia College
206 Parks Hall
Campus Box 027
Milledgeville, GA 31061
Phone 478-445-5169
Fax 478-445-6707