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| Guest EditorialBeyond TuitionBy April C. Thornton
When is change going to take place ladies and gentlemen? During this day and age, tuition is slowly but surely increasing. It would be nice to pay tuition and actually use the services that are provided by the fees we pay. Bowie students pay tuition, unsure of the true explanation of the fees, and how some fees are unfair to various students. Wake-up. As on senior said: "Too many fees, they need to be cut down." Tell me the last time anyone witnessed construction taking place on this campus. Does anyone have a clue? Referring to Bowie State website, "The University construction fee is used to fund the debt services on University auxiliary construction." If you are wondering the cost of this particular fee, it is $80.50. Devastating right? Honestly, there are a few buildings that do need some type of renovation. For example, everyone is familiar with the freshman dorm Towers Hall. Inside this historic building, the space is limited. The cracked hallways and peeling paint best describe the inside of Towers Hall. It can easily be compared to an old looking landmark of some sort while being an outsider looking out and an insider looking in. It would be greatly appreciated if we could actually have construction or better maintenance performed on some of the older buildings to enhance campus beauty and better students' comfort level, since this fee is included in tuition. Computers are beneficial to us. Computers and Internet access are how students get their homework done. Sadly, there are not enough available computers here on campus. "More labs and computers need to be open, the school is always low on computer supplies like paper and ink," said Rashida Henderson, raising her eyebrow. We pay technology fee that is approximately $78. Bowie State students pay an athletic fee that comes to $323. We greatly appreciate our athletes that are dedicated and are diligent, but not all students are athletes. So, why should we pay for a fee that does not require participation from all students? "These funds are used by the athletic department to help support the athletic program," states Bowie's State website. India Smith said, "We have to pay for tuition, books and parking stickers." She continued to say, "Most full-time students have part-time jobs and it is difficult to make ends meet." Finally, health service fees are $77.50. "The University offers comprehensive insurance to cover medical expenses results," according to the school website. It is understandable if a student does not have medical insurance, then yes they would have to pay this expensive charge. There are several, and I mean several, students who have medical insurance and have never used the services from the Wellness Center here on campus, but we still have to pay! What sense does that make? |
The thing I like most about BSU is the connections and relationships that I have made. Being an out of state student can be a challenge, and my fellow Bulldogs have become a part of my family.
Dr. Clarence E. Knight, Jr., chairman of the Fine and Performing Arts Department at Bowie State University. Under his leadership, the Department has grown considerably with new and exciting programs and an increase in the majors in each of the Fine and Performing Arts concentrations. 
Donna Broadway launched her writing career at Bowie State when she first became a contributor to The Spectrum newspaper, where she rose through the ranks to become Deputy Managing Editor during her senior year. 
