Whether or not students choose to return to campus in September, they’re still expected to pay their mandatory ancillary fees this fall.
The University is maintaining student ancillary fees for the 2020-21 academic year but intends to reassess the status of the fees in mid-September and again in mid-January, 2021. Depending on the how the pandemic continues to affect campus operations, fees may be reduced at either of these points.
“Some fees require further evaluation, given the fluidity of the provincial and local public health context, and uncertainties relating to the anticipated impacts on campus operations,” Mark Green, provost and vice-principal (academic), wrote in a statement to The Journal.
The University, the AMS, and the Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS) will be involved in the re-assessment of the fees. Both re-assessment dates take place before fall term and winter term fee payments are due on Sept. 30 and Jan. 31, respectively.
Should the fees be reduced after a student has paid, credits will be applied to the student’s SOLUS .
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Though the Board of Trustees approved 2020-21 ancillary fees in May, some initial adjustments were made by the University, the AMS, and the SGPS.
According to Green, “most” services the fees fund are available through both in-person and remote delivery.
These services include Athletics and Recreation, Student Wellness Services, the AMS Foodbank, Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre programs and services, Queen’s Backing Action on Climate Change (QBACC), the Academic Grievance Centre, and The Journal.
“Adjustments will be based primarily on the respective organization’s ability to deliver the offering for which the fee is collected—this includes remote or alternate or adjusted delivery, where applicable,” Green wrote.
There are four types of ancillary fees for both undergraduate and graduate programs: mandatory; optional; health and dental; and faculty/program specific. A full list of fees can be found online.
Students can opt out of the optional fees on SOLUS by Sept. 30. Opt-out selections are final and are only completed once a year.
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Queen’s is maintaining regular tuition for the fall term. While tuition was also maintained for the 2020 summer term, summer ancillary fees were reduced.
“Ancillary fees activities and services provided by the university and by student governments, faculty/school societies, and clubs accessed by students,” Green said.
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