Did you know FIU charges $174 extra for a 3 credit class just because it's online? At one point FIU charged around $300 extra for online classes. The distance learning fee changed before, and it can change again - through your support. 

For years Florida International University has stood as an affordable, high-quality, state institution in a city filled with many other more expensive educational options. In order to move towards the digital frontier, FIU's online program has grown and continues to grow - and more FIU students are taking these online classes to further their education and finish their degrees. FIU currently charges $58 per online credit hour for a "Distance Learning Fee." (1) It is perfectly legal for FIU to charge this fee, but the amount of that fee is totally up to the discretion of FIU. (2)

  According to the Florida Virtual Campus (a state service to support Florida's growing demand for online classes,) FIU has an above average distance learning fee among public, Florida universities. (3) Two public universities in Florida don't have a distance learning fee at all. This fee can be eliminated through process improvement and greater efficiency. Thus, this distance learning fee is not consistent with two of FIU's core values - organizational responsibility and operational excellence. (4)

  According to a Sun Sentinel article, the University of Florida (one of Florida's top public universities) will be offering fully online bachelor programs in the spring of 2014 "at a cost cheaper than on-campus classes." (5) To be transparent, UF's received government funding to help develop these bachelor programs. Regardless, UF’s creation of these programs is one example that it is possible to provide an online education without continuing the trend of raising the student’s bottom line.

  FIU should be accountable to it’s primary stakeholders – it’s students. If one of Florida’s top universities can offer entire online programs at a cheaper cost than in-class programs, FIU should reasonably be able to do the same with it’s existing online classes, and with future online programs, while maintaining it’s integrity and commitment to it’s faculty and staff.

  Thus, we the students of FIU, petition for the elimination of FIU’s Distance Learning Fee of $58 per credit hour.

Sources:
1) http://online.fiu.edu/programs/tuition
2) http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=1000-1099/1009/Sections/1009.24.html
3) http://www.flvc.org/flvc/portal/Home_Page/About%20FLVC/Overview/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3iDEEtPfx9TQwOLABdDA093dw8vA29nQ09jM30_j_zcVP2CbEdFAG9ejWE!/dl3/d3/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS9ZQnZ3LzZfMTM0SU9LRzEwTzE1MjBJM0VHOTZQRTI4UjQ!/ 

4) http://www.fiu.edu/about-us/vision-mission/
5) http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/fl-florida-online-education-20130519,0,7345928.story