"As of July 28th, 2020, you will see a new temporary, per-credit surcharge on your MyUNLV student account. The surcharge is effective for the Academic Year 2020-2021."

"For undergraduate courses this charge is $6 per credit hour, and for graduate courses, it is $8 per credit hour."

"The surcharge is part of the Nevada System of Higher Education's response to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.  We appreciate and understand that this may cause a financial strain for many of you."

Above are excerpts from a university e-mail all UNLV students received on July 31, 2020.  A majority of classes offered at UNLV for the 2020-2021 semester are now offered as "remote learning".  UNLV students are being offered LESS for their money but are being asked to pay MORE.  Countless resources that would normally be available to students are currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic;  our library, student union, and rec center, just to name a few.  

Sacrifices are required to be made by everyone during this time, but it should not be the student's responsibility to make up for the university's shortcomings by paying extra this semester.  How many students have lost their jobs?  How many are at risk of being evicted because they are unable to pay rent?  Who knows how many students may not have access to a computer to take classes online?

The dollar amount of the surcharge is not as important as the principal of it.  It is wrong to ask students to pay for more during a time when we all have less.  UNLV should rethink this "surcharge" and consider their students as something more than an ATM.