St. Bonaventure’s administration has decided to impose a troubling $100 fee on all graduating seniors and graduate students in coming years. This excessive new cost will begin with the class of 2014.
We all know about the ever-rising costs these days, but what exactly do these expenses entail when it comes to graduation?
According to Richard Trietley, vice provost for student life, some of the rising costs are due to increases in supplies, services and food costs.
The Bonaventure community may not be aware of the cost of all the events that take place during the week of commencement, better known as senior week. These events add to the high costs and according to Trietley some of them include: the faculty/staff reception with the senior class, the candlelight ceremony, the honorary degree recipient dinner and the commencement ceremony.
Break out what’s left of your wallet because this $100 fee is on top of the costs of the cap and gown and the ticket for senior week.
When the research for the decision was conducted, university administrators found it to be of common practice for other schools such as Mercyhurst, D’Youville and Siena to charge a graduation fee.
The $100 fee that the cabinet approved is a one-time mandatory fee for all undergraduate and graduate students. “This compares to D’Youville ($80), Siena ($125) and Mercyhurst ($160),” said Trietley in an email.
While it is comforting to know serious research and consideration was put into this decision, it doesn’t quite ease the pain it inflicts on our wallets. Students and their families should be able to take in their last moments before graduation with joy and a sort of serenity knowing they have finally become extraordinary. Instead, the fee imposes one last slam to get every drop of money out of them.
The ceremony takes place right on campus, in the Reilly Center arena — not the classiest of sceneries. For the extra cost, graduation ceremonies should be held in a more memorable facility.
While we appreciate how forthcoming the administration was with their justification for the fee, it is a bit upsetting that students did not have a direct input into this decision. The SGA Executive Staff was informed of the idea weeks ago, according to Trietley. But if you asked future seniors, it is likely they may have a different outlook on the proposal.
We pay enough tuition as it is. Coupled with student activity, dining and housing fees, the cost of attending this school continues to surge. It costs enough to get a college degree; let’s not pretend we need to add a few more dollars to our debts.
The administration should make cutbacks to keep graduation events under budget, not hike costs.
Yes, we all want a commencement we will want to remember and show off to non-Bonnies. But none of us want an irritating farewell bill. It would be better to have simpler ceremonies and save students the additional fee.
At the end of the day, so long as we get our degrees, the pomp and circumstance can be a bit less pompous.
A real gift to these students and their families would be to not charge them for their departure from the Bonaventure experience.
This editorial represents the opinion of The Bona Venture staff.
