In addition to tuition and housing costs, Marquette University students pay $1,200 in annual fees to different entities around campus. Over four years this amounts to $4,800 in fees.
Some students are aware of the additional fees they are charged; however, some feel there is a lack of transparency about what the fees go toward. Andrew Romaszewski, a first-year student in the College of Engineering, talked about the challenges of uncovering those details.
“I know what the label says on the website. However, I think that label is very unclear about what specifically it goes towards,” Romanszewski said. “In order to find it out, you have to go through Marquette’s website, which is rather cumbersome.”
Deanna Davis, manager of Marquette Central, provided the Marquette Wire with information about all the mandatory fees that students are assessed each semester. Here’s what students should know about the fees they pay:
Technology fee
The $150 student technology fee helps the university cover expenses relating to information technology needs, such as internet and computer services.
“The technology fee contributes to the purchase of implementation, staffing and support of information technology that directly benefits students and the academic learning environment,” Davis said in an email.
Raynor Library houses several technology resources for students to use, including desktop computers and charging stations for personal devices. It also has a handful of MacBooks and Windows laptops for students to temporarily check out. Lena Schultz, a first-year student in the College of Education, has been borrowing a MacBook daily since late September.
“I’m renting a computer every day because my computer is currently broken,” Schultz said. “It’s nice that it’s free and I can use it.”
Student health services fee
The $210 student health services fee helps support organizations such as the Counseling Center and Medical Clinic.
“The health fee covers unlimited office visits, some laboratory studies and reduced prices on additional services,” Davis said.
Marquette’s medical fee is less compared to other Jesuit universities, some of which require students to pay for a university health insurance plan.
Georgetown University charges students $4,350 per year for health insurance. Creighton University does not immediately require students to enroll in a health insurance plan; however, they do offer a plan that costs $1,992 for six months. Students who attend these schools are able to apply for waivers if they have private insurance through their employer or their parents.
Marquette does not require students to be on a university health insurance plan, however, the Medical Clinic is not able to bill students’ individual insurance companies. The clinic instead encourages students to submit any bills from the Marquette Medical Clinic to their insurance companies to request reimbursements when they need to pay extra for services received on campus.
Student activity fee
Students are charged a $40 activity fee each semester. All funds collected in this category go into the Student Organization Fund run by Marquette University Student Government. Organizations are then able to request funding for events and endeavors through MUSG.
MUSG has been hosting training sessions for clubs and organizations to learn about the SOF and how to make use of the available funding. Student government leaders are hoping that increased awareness of the fund will allow organizations to put on larger events that benefit the student body.
Wellness and recreation fee
The wellness and recreation fee is $150 per semester and goes toward maintaining the various recreational spaces on Marquette’s campus, including the new Wellness + Helfaer Recreation facility.
This semesterly fee costs less than memberships at other local full-service athletic facilities. A membership for one adult through the Wisconsin Athletic Club costs $72 a month. That totals around $360 per semester, more than double the cost of Marquette’s recreation fee.
Schultz, who is a member of the Marquette track and field team, is a frequent user of the recreation spaces on campus.
“I’m in the Rec Center pretty often. It’s mandatory for me,” Schultz said.
UPASS fee
The semesterly $50 UPASS fee provides students with the ability to use the Milwaukee County Transit System’s 42 bus routes. The normal MCTS fare is $2 per ride with fare caps at $20 weekly or $75 monthly, making public transportation cheaper for Marquette students.
While some students expressed frustration with being required to pay for certain services, they did highlight the benefits the services can provide.
“I have never used the UPASS. I have my car here,” Schultz said. “However, I’m sure the UPASS is beneficial to people who need to get around.”
Students who have questions about fees or other financial concerns can contact Marquette Central, located in Zilber Hall Room 121. Students can also reach out by phone at (414) 288-4000.
This story was written by Sahil Gupta. He can be reached at [email protected].
