Beyond Junk Fees: The Need for Transparency and a New Funding Model (Opinion)
As the cost of higher education continues to rise, scrutiny of so-called “junk fees” – those extra charges for everything from parking to technology to graduation – has grown. And rightfully so. These fees can add up quickly, creating a surprise bill for students already struggling with tuition and living expenses. But while reining in junk fees is a good start, it’s just a Band-Aid on the larger problem: a broken financing model for public universities that needs a complete overhaul.
The first step is indeed greater transparency. Colleges should clearly break down what students are getting for their money, rather than lumping fees together in a confusing way. But even with transparency, the fact remains that fees are often a way for cash-strapped universities to make up for declining state support. Until we address that root cause, simply limiting fees risks cutting into important student services and programs.
The real issue is the shifting of costs onto students and their families. In the post-war era, public universities were often very affordable, with the understanding that an educated citizenry benefited society as a whole. But over decades, state funding has been gutted, leading colleges to rely more and more on tuition. This has created a system where those who reap the benefits are expected to foot the bill, rather than seeing education as a public good.
The solution lies not just in tweaking the fee structure, but in recommitting to the idea that public higher education should be accessible and affordable. This means increasing state funding, implementing more equitable tuition models, and expanding financial aid. It also means colleges taking a hard look at their own spending priorities, to ensure they’re doing their part to contain costs without sacrificing quality.
Junk fees are a symptom of a larger disease. By all means, let’s make campuses be more upfront about costs. But until we address the underlying financing model, we’re just treating the symptoms rather than curing the illness. It’s time for a new bargain in public higher education, one that recognizes the value of an educated populace and shares the costs accordingly. Anything less is just a short-term fix for a long-term problem.
