Last week the Notre Dame student senate considered raising the student activities fee by $1 ($0.50 per semester), noting that it would accumulate an additional $8,000 to the student union. Currently, an annual $90 from each undergraduate’s tuition funds the student activities fee.
The current undergraduate tuition is $40,035.50 per semester — $80,071 for a full academic year. This price excludes the price of textbooks, transportation and personal expenses. Considering these factors, Notre Dame evaluates the average cost of attendance as $83,271 per academic year. However, this cost is prone to annual increases that “should be anticipated.”
The estimated $83,271 includes fixed costs from the University as well as costs that vary from student to student.
For example, the transportation allowance ranges from approximately $500 to $1000, with an average $750 being included in the average cumulative cost. Personal expenses and textbooks/material costs vary among students and are an expected $1,200 and $1,250, respectively.
Room and board, including the standard meal plan, is another $17,378.
Undergraduate tuition and fees, separate from the other expenses in the cumulative cost, total $62,693. Within this broad category of fees are four different subtypes, as outlined by the Office of Student Accounts. All monetary values for fee subtypes are listed in annual amounts, according to IrishPay.
One of the fee subtypes is a $250 technology fee, which enables students to access certain programs, applications and software that may be specific to certain courses. It also funds on-campus Wi-Fi.
The health center access fee is $150 that helps provide students access to University Health Services and the University Counseling Center. The services offer “24-hour medical assistance and counseling/mental health assistance, alcohol and drug education programs, as well as health education and wellness programs,” according to the Office of Student Accounts website. It also grants funds to support health facilities. Any additional procedures, medications and vaccinations are not included in the $150 fee.
The undergraduate activity fee is an annual $95. Its main purpose is to fund student government and other undergraduate-based student organizations, including clubs and events. However, this fee does not include some organizations’ separate membership fees.
An annual $12 is charged to undergraduates as a fee for The Observer.
There is a fifth fee for international study programs. This fee allows for undergraduates to receive course credits for supported programs. It also supports administration and faculty communication with the affiliated programs.
Excluding the international study program administrative fee, the four fee subtypes sum to an annual $507. Net of those fews, the undergraduate tuition charge is $62,186.
Raising the student activities fee by $1, and bringing in nearly $8000, would give each of Notre Dame's 500 student clubs an additional $16, if the funds were distributed evenly.
The student senate, last week, did not adopt the resolution, with one senator noting that raising the cost of attendance was undesirable.
For now, the cost of attendance remains $80,071 annually. Although total cost will not increase by $1 for the student activities fee, tuition may increase in the next coming years, as consistent with the trend in recent years.
