Proposition
College fees drain students most of their earnings and income. With the increasing cost of living and limited funds, college fees have become some of the challenges that students face as they struggle to acquire the much-needed expertise in their respective fields. The proposition espouses the need to minimize extra charges imposed on students. Some of the charges that the proposition requests the universities in the United States to remove include meals and parking fees. Apparently, university students in the United States need to pay for food and parking, an extra charge that increases the overall cost incurred in the learning process (Mulhern et al. 44). It is important to allude that asking students to pay for meals and parking hampers their performance and discourages continued education from potential candidates who may wish to advance their education in the respective universities.
Statement of the Central Idea
Extra charges imposed on students comprise the factors that drain them of their resources. After organizing themselves and planning to undertake their studies, the learners get surprised when they realize that they need to input more into the university in the form of extra charges. Their budget falls short since some of the students plans and save the money in the preparedness of commencing their studies based on the fee indicated in the university fee structure. In effect, food and parking are some of the components that should be free. Fundamentally, some of the universities in the world do not impose any charges on meals and parking but make it free for their students. According to Alex and Steiner, universities in the United States are not supposed to impose any additional charges besides the basic school fees (6). It is practical to explain that free meals and parking lead to productive learning and improved performance from the students.
Discussion
College Fees and Arrears
Fundamentally, students spend most of their resources paying fees and other related costs. For instance, nurses pay fees and an additional charge of licensing and accreditation. With the increased cost of living and minimal resources, a number of learners use most of their income to cater for fees and general upkeep. Some of these students enter into debts and arrears from colleagues and work stations. It is imperative to state that some of the learners take loans from their workplaces, which they then use to pay fees and related requirements. Aoun et al. assert that universities need to adjust their fees and remove additional charges that increase the overall cost of learning (56). Moreover, universities need to exercise transparency and indicate the actual costs incurred by students in their structures. The essence of transparency emanates because, in some instances, the institutions develop fee structures that only indicate the fee and does not include the additional charges paid soon after one joins the institution.
Meals
Food is an essential component that calls for attention from the university. For conducive and productive learning, students need food (Goldrick-Rab et al. 3). However, when universities fail to ensure that meals are free, students have to either pay for them in school or purchase foodstuffs from groceries and outlets. It is critical to elucidate that besides increasing the cost of education in the universities, the issue of extra charge placed on meals can lead to loss of productive time, inequality among students, and stress.
While some students afford to pay for the food out of their small savings, others do not have the resources, which facilitate the payment. Those who are unable may opt for outlets within and outside the institutions, a factor that leads to loss of time that would be useful in studying. Additionally, those who cannot afford to purchase meals in and outside the institution undergo some level of stress owing to their inability and hunger that comes along with extended hours of learning without meals. Therefore, it is paramount that stakeholders in the field of education focus on removing the charges imposed on meals.
Parking
Parking is another issue that needs a timely response from the education sector. Apparently, universities should not charge the students for parking because once they have paid fees, they become members of the institution. Besides high parking charges, the space is also limited. Limited space implies that the students spend long hours seeking for a place to park their vehicles, an aspect that leads to loss of valuable time. By charging the students with a parking fee, the university discourages them from bringing vehicles to school. Principally, cars are very efficient in ensuring that students arrive on time and run errands in and outside the university in an efficient manner (Shoup 117). Therefore, by charging students who come and park their cars in the university, the institution cripples their willingness to study.
Conclusion
The increased cost of living and inadequate resources characterize modern society. In various universities across the United States, students plan, save, and prepare prior to commencement of their education. When preparing, the students sample various universities and choose one that best fits their expectations. However, some students become disappointed when they realize that the institution has hidden costs that were not indicated in the structure. The overall implication is an affected budget, and in some cases, termination of studies. Meals and parking fees are examples of additional costs that the universities in the United States need to remove.
Works Cited
Alex, Bond and Ruth Steiner. “Sustainable Campus Transportation through Transit Partnership and Transportation Demand Management: A Case Study from the University of Florida.” Berkeley Planning Journal, vol. 19, no. 1, 2006, pp, 123-142.
Aoun, Alisar, et al. “Reducing Parking Demand and Traffic Congestion at the American University of Beirut.” Transport Policy, vol. 25, no. 1, 2013, pp. 52-60.
Goldrick-Rab, Sara, et al. Hungry to Learn Addressing Food & Housing Insecurity among Undergraduates. University of Michigan, 2015.
Mulhern, Christine, et al. “The Effects of Rising Student Costs in Higher Education: Evidence from Public Institutions in Virginia”. 2015, Ithaka S+R. Web.
Shoup, Donald. “Parking on a Smart Campus: Lessons for Universities and Cities.” UCLA School of Public Affairs, vol.1, no. 1, 2005, pp. 117-149.