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mahatmakanejeeves

(57,489 posts) Mon Oct 7, 2019, 12:23 PM Oct 2019

Radford University credit change sparks student dissatisfaction

Radford University credit change sparks student dissatisfaction
By Sam Wall sam.wall@roanoke.com 381-1643 12 hrs ago

RADFORD — Some Radford University students oppose a new policy that will charge more for credit hours above a 16-hour per semester cap.

Starting next fall, students who take more credit hours will pay an additional $329 per credit. Students have publicly voiced their concerns with the university’s unveiling of the new policy and the burden it will put on students required to take more credits a semester to graduate on time.

University officials support the policy as a way to better align a student’s curriculum with expenses. Spokeswoman Caitlyn Scaggs said that students taking additional credit hours generate additional costs for the university.

“In lieu of charging all students greater levels of tuition and fees, this method allows for students taking more classes to pay the additional cost of their course load and related instruction,” Scaggs wrote in an email.

President Brian Hemphill wrote in an address to the campus over the summer that the new policy would only affect 12% of the total student body.
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Sam Wall covers Pulaski, Radford and Radford University.

3 replies

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Radford University credit change sparks student dissatisfaction (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Oct 2019 OP

They (the school) claims that those taking over 16 hours create additional cost for the ... SWBTATTReg Oct 2019 #1

It's a way to limit the total credit hours taught Recursion Oct 2019 #2

Thanks so much. I was lucky in that I had 2 scholarships so I used the most that I could out of... SWBTATTReg Oct 2019 #3

SWBTATTReg

(22,133 posts)

1. They (the school) claims that those taking over 16 hours create additional cost for the ...

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Mon Oct 7, 2019, 12:32 PM

Oct 2019

school. In what universe and how does this happen? They didn't elaborate in the article as to how this happens...and an additional $329 per credit, is this on top of an existing rate, e.g., each credit hour is $100 now, then the 17th credit hour will cost $100+$329 or $429?

I feel for these students, especially those who are pursuing multiple degrees at the same time...

Recursion

(56,582 posts)

2. It's a way to limit the total credit hours taught

Reply to SWBTATTReg (Reply #1)

Tue Oct 8, 2019, 03:18 AM

Oct 2019

This both lets the university hire fewer faculty, and keeps the students on campus spending money for four full years.

Now, my mom is a university administrator and she agrees that students should be limited to 16 credit hours per semester because that's about what a human can handle. But this is a pretty crappy way to actually do that. Just announce the hour limit, don't try to squeeze more money out of people.

SWBTATTReg

(22,133 posts)

3. Thanks so much. I was lucky in that I had 2 scholarships so I used the most that I could out of...

Reply to Recursion (Reply #2)

Tue Oct 8, 2019, 12:20 PM

Oct 2019

them, so got multiple degrees ... I took 22 credit hours (the most in any semester) so I understand your comment that >16 was pretty reaching a person's limit. I just wanted to get College done w/. No particular reason as to why I pushed so much. It was nice in my last semester to take only 1 hour (that's all I needed) after 3. 5 years...

Thanks again.

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