College students protest higher fees

By Laura Diamond

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

About 25 students from Georgia colleges marched Tuesday from Georgia State University to the State Board of Regents office to protest higher fees.

This month, students began paying twice as much in a special mandatory fee – a cost not covered by most financial aid.

Regents approved the hike in November in response to the latest round of budget cuts as Georgia struggles through a historic decline in revenue.

The protesters carried a banner that read: “Students are not ATMs! Give back our $200!”

Students at research universities -- including University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia State – now pay $200 a semester. Students attending Georgia Southern, Valdosta State, Georgia College & State, Kennesaw State, Southern Polytechnic and the University of West Georgia also pay $200 each semester.

Students at most of the other four-year colleges pay $150; while those at two-year colleges pay $100. The fee is in effect until June 2012.

“We understand there is an economic crisis, but this money should not be raised off our backs,” said Ryan Haney, a graduate student in education at Georgia State.

Students hoped to meet with one of the regents, but they were conducting their monthly meeting. Instead students shared their grievances with Burns Newsome, board secretary and vice chancellor for legal affairs.

When the regents approved the fee increase in November, staff members said it was a last resort.

State budget cuts have siphoned about $176 million from the university system’s nearly $2.08 billion budget. Those cuts include mandatory furloughs for nearly all employees. Individual institutions also laid off workers, eliminated course sections and increased class sizes.