Undergraduate Catalog 2020-2021 
    
    Oct 13, 2024  
Undergraduate Catalog 2020-2021 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Expenses



Business Policy

The University year is divided into two semesters of approximately fifteen weeks each and a summer semester of approximately eight weeks. Expenses are charged and payable by the semester since each semester constitutes a separate unit of operation. A student may enroll at the beginning of any semester.

Students are responsible for meeting all financial obligations to the University when they fall due. West Georgia reserves and exercises the right to deny admission, to withhold transcripts and other educational records, to cancel the enrollments of students, and to delay the graduation of students who fail to meet promptly their financial obligations to the institution. Each student is responsible for keeping informed of all registration and fee payment dates, deadlines, and other requirements by referring to the official calendar and announcements published in the course bulletin, students UWG email account, and other printed and posted announcements.

Students who fail to satisfy financial obligations in a timely manner will be referred to an outside collection agency and will be held responsible for any additional charges not to exceed 33.3% associated with the collection of an unpaid debt.

To ensure that financial operation is in conformity with the policies of the Board of Regents, certain regulations must be observed. Fees and charges must be paid by the published deadlines. Fees and charges may be paid in cash, by MasterCard, Discover, American Express, VISA, or by check in the exact amount of the student’s bill. If any check is not paid on presentation to the bank on which it is drawn, a service charge of $25 or 5%, whichever is greater, will be made. When one fee check or two non-fee checks have been returned by any student’s bank without payment, his check cashing privileges will be suspended for a year. Registration at the beginning of each semester is not complete until all fees and charges have been paid. If a student’s fee check is returned for non-payment by their bank, the registration is subject to cancellation and a late fee of $75 will be due in addition to a service charge of $25 or 5%, whichever is greater. In the event, a student’s registration is cancelled and the student seeks the reinstatement of classes, a $200 fee will be assessed to the student and is due upon reinstatement along with all other charges on the student’s account.

Tuition and Other Student Fees

All students pay the established tuition and mandatory fees (e.g., health, athletic, technology, activity, campus center, transportation fees, and etc.) which are listed on the Bursar’s website at https://www.westga.edu/bursar/.  A few courses require special fees, such as private music lessons, aquatic, and science courses, and are listed at https://www.westga.edu/student-services/bursar/assets-bursar/docs/fy18_special_course_misc_fees.pdf. These fees are an estimation and are subject to change per the Board of Regents.

Table of Charges

Registration at the beginning of each semester is not complete until all fees and charges have been paid, including for previous semesters. Fees and charges are due by the published deadlines. A late fee is charged beginning the day after new student registration. See the Bursar’s site at https://www.westga.edu/bursar/ for tuition and fees.

Residence Hall Charges Per Semester

Housing rates can be viewed on the Housing and Residence Life website. Contracts are for 9 months, although rates are listed per semester. The Housing Rates page includes the rates for the Application Fee, Special Interest Housing Fee, and Social Fee, which is assessed each semester to all on-campus residents except Greek Village residents (due to Comprehensive Fee). The social fee is used to support resident hall activities.

For a combined listing of meal plans and residence halls, see the Bursar’s site at https://www.westga.edu/student-services/bursar/assets-bursar/docs/fy19_meal_plans_res_halls.pdf.

Meal Plans

There are three convenient ways to sign up for a meal plan.  You may sign up in person at the Wolves Card Office, located on the top floor of the University Community Center, via phone by calling 678-839-6525, or online through BanWeb.

Meal Plan Membership Terms and Conditions

  • Meal plan memberships may only be removed before the END of the drop/add period.
  • Meal plan membership changes or cancellations made before the end of the drop/add period will be charged at a prorated amount.
  • Meal plan memberships purchased prior to or during drop/add period must be paid by the final drop date. Failure to pay balance in full will result in student’s entire schedule being DROPPED. Payment may be made online through the Banweb portal or in person with cash or check at the cashier’s window on the 1st floor of Aycock Hall.
  • Meal plan memberships and/or upgrades added after the drop/add period must be paid in full immediately. Failure to pay may resulting a HOLD being placed on the student’s account. Holds prevent the student from registering for classes, receiving/sending official transcripts or graduating from the University. Payment may be made online through the Banweb portal or in person with cash or check at the cashier’s window on the 1st floor of Aycock Hall.
  • Requests to be exempt from a mandatory meal plan must be submitted through the Meal Plan Appeals Request Form. 
  • All meal plan membership pricing is subject to final approval by the Board of Regents and is subject to change.
  • Meal plan memberships cannot be used by anyone other than the purchaser of the plan; violators will be subject to campus judicial review.
  • Meal plan memberships are loaded onto the student’s ID card.
  • Lost or stolen ID cards are subject to a $20 replacement charge. Replace your ID at the Wolves Card Office
  • Meal plan memberships must be used within the semester purchased.
  • Balances remaining in Dining Dollars will be returned if the student is not enrolled in the next consecutive semester.
  • Students who would like to be considered for an exception to the mandatory Residential Freshman meal plan(s), due to an accessibility need or medical condition, will need to provide documentation to Accessibility Services. Please visit the Accessibility Services website for documentation guidelines. An appointment can be scheduled by calling 678-839-6428 or emailing counseling@westga.edu. 

Meal Plan Selection:

The University of West Georgia requires all first time in college students living on campus to have a meal plan.  These students may choose from the All-Access, Wolves, or Basic meal plan memberships.  Students who do not live on campus or have already completed their required two semesters may select any of the meal plans listed below.

Meal Plan Options:

All Access Meal Membership  $2,365.00 per semester

  • Unlimited meals per week at the Z-6 or East Commons
  • $50 dining dollars
  • Includes up to 2 Retain Combo swipes per day (Mon-Fri)
  • BONUS - 2 Guest Passes to the Z-6 or East Commons for family or friend

Wolves Meal Membership $2,069.00 per semester

  • 14 meals per week at the Z-6 or East Commons
  • $250 Dining Dollars
  • BONUS - 2 Guest Passes to the Z-6 or East Commons for family or friends

Basic Membership  $1,800.00 per semester

  • 14 meals per week at the Z-6 or East Commons
  • Restricted to residential freshmen only

Flex Deluxe Membership   $1,517.00 per semester

  • 10 meals per week at the Z-6 or East Commons
  • $250 Dining Dollars
  • Can use up to 5 of allotted meal swipes for Retail Combos at lunch and/or dinner*

  • BONUS - 2 Guest Passes to the Z-6 or East Commons for family or friends

Flex 7 Membership  $1,080 per semester

  • 7 meals per week at the Z-6 or East Commons
  • $150 Dining Dollars
  • Can use up to 2 of allotted meal swipes for Retail Combos at lunch and/or dinner*
  • BONUS - 2 Guest Passes to the Z-6 or East Commons for family or friends

Budget Membership  $664.00 per semester

  • 5 meals per week at the Z-6 or East Commons
  • BONUS - 2 Guest Passes to the Z-6 or East Commons for family or friends

Block 25 Membership  $205.00 per semester

  • 25 meal swipes per semester at the Z-6 or East Commons

Dining Dollars Membership  $200.00 per semester

  • $200 Dining Dollars to be used at any participating location

Dining Dollars Upgrade  $50.00 per upgrade

  • Add Dining Dollars in increments of $50 to any meal plan, ANY time!

*Retail combos are available starting at 11:00am Monday through Friday, in the Wolves Den, Market Fresh Deli and Lobos.  Up to 2 combo swipes may be used per weekday.

Parking and Transportation

Students will pay a mandatory transportation fee each semester that is used to provide students with various parking and transportation services both on and off campus. After paying the transportation fee, students must register their vehicle and will receive a parking permit. Students have unlimited access to the bus shuttles that operate Sunday through Friday. Students also have access to an apartment shuttle that services several neighboring apartment complexes. Parking and Transportation also operates a shopping shuttle that runs once per week to bring students to and from local retail outlets.

 

Refunds

The refund amount for students who formally withdraw from the Institution shall be based on a pro rata percentage determined by the number of calendar days in the semester that the student completed along with the total number of calendar days in the semester. The unearned portion shall be refunded up to the 60% point in time. Students who withdraw after the 60% point in time are not entitled to a refund of charges. All refunds will be issued through the BankMobile account.

If a student leaves the residence hall and does not withdraw from school, they are still held responsible for the remainder of the yearly room charge. Students wishing to be considered for a housing release must apply at the Department of Residence Life. All housing refunds will be issued through the student’s BankMobile account.

If a student withdraws during a semester, refund of board charges is made on a prorated basis, determined by the date of official withdrawal.

Refunds will be made approximately at the end of the sixth week of the semester. All refunds will be issued through the BankMobile account.

A refund of all semester fees, matriculation fees, and other required fees shall be made in the event of a death of a student at any time during an academic semester.

Students who are members of the Georgia National Guard or other reserve components of the Armed Forces who receive emergency orders to active military duty are entitled to a full refund of matriculation fees paid for that semester, in accordance with guidelines previously listed.

For Financial Aid recipients, in order to meet Federal regulations, all refunds are credited back to the Federal Title IV programs, state programs, private, and institutional programs in the following order: Direct Stafford Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, Federal Pell Grants, Federal SEOG, and other Title IV assistance, state, private, or institutional aid. Any refund remaining after these programs have been reimbursed goes to the student. All refunds will be issued through the BankMobile account.

Tuition Classification of Students as In-State and Out-of-State

All applicants who are accepted for admission or readmission to the University of West Georgia for Fall, 2011, or any academic semester thereafter, and who seek to be classified as in-state for tuition purposes, will be required to provide validation of residency and lawful presence in both the State of Georgia and the United States. The University System of Georgia allows students who have been admitted to the University of West Georgia as out-of-state for tuition purposes, to apply for in-state status through various tuition differential waivers. For more information, see the Registrar’s site at https://www.westga.edu/registrar/tuition-classification.php.