Dear Lindenwood University Administration,

We, the concerned students at Lindenwood University, urge you to reconsider the new policy that imposes a One Fee on all students, regardless of their individual circumstances. We believe that this policy is unfair and fails to acknowledge the diverse financial situations faced by many students at our school are in. The email about this new policy came with no warning and showed a lack of interest in its effects on the majority of students.

It is evident that a one-size-fits-all approach does not adequately address the unique needs and challenges faced by certain groups of students. While we understand the need for revenue generation to support various university programs and services, it is crucial to consider alternative solutions that do not cause the majority of students to pay for services which are inapplicable to them.

Commuters rarely utilize campus services such as on campus healthcare and laundry facilities included in the One Fee, but are now required to pay for them. There is no justification in charging residential and non-residential students the same fee when there is such a stark difference in utilization of services.
Students solely learning remotely away from the institution are given no right to opt out of this institutional fee. These students do not benefit from ANY services covered by the One Fee but are still expected to contribute financially towards them. These populations of students should only be charged for the services included in the One Fee that they utilize.

Another "service" included in the One Fee, is home sports events. There is absolutely no reason why the funding of athletic events falls on the students, especially considering the amount of students enrolled solely for instructional purposes. Additionally, most students attending these events are residential students, which only furthers the prior case in point.

In addition to the diversity of support needed from student to student, academic fees for specific majors are excluded. It is extremely unfair to state that the One Fee is eliminating academic fees, yet students are still charged $75 lab fees and all course materials. All students paying for the One Fee should benefit from the elimination of academic fees, regardless of their course selection. By implementing a more flexible fee structure that considers individual circumstances, the university can better support its diverse student body and foster an inclusive learning environment.

We respectfully request that you review this policy and consider making necessary changes to allow students to appeal against the One Fee completely and/or partially when it is inapplicable to their situation. We trust that Lindenwood University values fairness and will take our concerns into serious consideration.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we look forward to a positive response from the administration.

Sincerely,

The Students of Lindenwood University