POLITICAL GRIPE - UMASS and Tuition Free.

While I try to stay away from politics, I just can't stay quiet on this one.  I am so angry at Governor Romney.  He keeps REPEATING that HE made it possible for the BEST of the MA SENIORS to attend a Massachusetts Public College Tuition Free.

Back in the stone ages, when I was a UMASS Student, I remembered the "Curriculum Fee."  This fee was HIGHER than my tuiton, and while tuition rate hikes were capped at a certain level, the Curriculum Fee kept going higher and higher each year (and since my brother then went to UMASS my parents saw this fee over an EIGHT year period rise and rise).

Dear Governor Romney, I am sure that you can throw away $857 per semester.  That is how much "Tuition" is at UMASS per semester.  For you and your family, that kind of money isn't alot.  This semester's curriculum fee is $4,700.  So, while you offer a FREE ride to MA Seniors who are the best of the best, they still have to cough up $4,700 PER SEMESTER.  What is the curriculum fee. . . . it is a fee that is really tuition.  That Governor Romney, is REAL MONEY, and for the year it is almost $10K!  And over 4 years that is $40,000.  That is real money.  Meanwhile the FREE TUITION saves the family $6,800 over four years.  Not really that much compared to the $40K for the FEE.

http://www.umass.edu/bursar/Full-Time%20Undergraduate%20Fees.pdf

Of course, there is a "service fee" of $675 per semester.

And if you are in the HONORS part of UMASS that will cost you an additional $300 per semester!  NICE!  That used to be part of my TUITION and FEES.

AND if you want an engineering degree???  Tack on an additional $160 per semester!

Then there is the room fee, the meal fee, the telecommunications fee (mandatory for all on campus students).

So, Governor Romney, you were able to provide college for your kids . . . but not all of us can do that.  Some families rely on UMASS, and you and the others responsible for UMASS tuition and fees, have raised the fees, while keeping "tuition" low.  However, one can not attend UMASS without paying these fees.