Letter to the Editor: Students over-charged for online classes

As reported in this newspaper two weeks ago, EKU charges part-time students a higher tuition rate for fully online classes. Full time students can include any number of online classes at no surcharge.The $30-per-hour tuition add-on has been in effect since Fall 2005. Students who have noticed the extra cost may have mistakenly assumed that the surcharge was used to pay for "technology" or for online course development, but all the money simply goes into the general tuition fund.

The administration has told me that the higher tuition rate is associated with the "higher costs of online courses," but I consider that rationale entirely bogus. I am working with the administration to get this excess charge removed.

Meanwhile, I am taking steps to alter the status of my own "online" courses so that part-time students will be able to take my class at the usual tuition rate.

Dr. Gene Kleppinger
IT manager for online learning
Instructor, department of philosophy and religion