Change to the Graduate Programming Fee

Dear student:

We want to inform you about an important change to the Graduate Programming Fee. This change only affects students taking fewer than six units.

Currently, only students taking more than six units have to pay the Graduate Programming Fee of $31 per semester excluding the summer semester.

Beginning in Fall 2009, all graduate and professional students will be charged the student programming fee regardless of the number of registered units. The Graduate & Professional Student Senate's Full Senate approved this change as students taking less than six units are also benefiting from programs financed by the this fee. This fee will not apply to distance learning students.

Under certain circumstances there is the option to opt-out of the Graduate Programming Fee. In order to be eligible to opt-out you must be a graduate or professional student taking less than six units. In addition, please understand, this optional fee is not reported to the IRS (on your 1098-T) as a qualified educational expense.

If you decide to opt-out, then you are not allowed to participate in any activities sponsored by the Graduate & Professional Student Senate. In particular, students opting-out are NOT allowed to participate in:

• Any activities organized by their student umbrella organizations
• Any social or academic activities sponsored by the Graduate & Professional Student Senate
• Apply to the Conference Travel Fund
• Use the Free Legal Counseling Service

In order to learn more about opting out, go to http://www.uscgpss.com/programming_fee_info.html

If you want to learn more about the Graduate & Professional Student Senate, go to http://www.usc.edu/gpss

 
Best regards,
Johannes V. Schmitt
President, Graduate & Professional Student Senate
213.740.5649