Compared to DePaul’s tuition prices, a $25 athletic fee can seem insignificant. But the five main general fees for undergraduate students — the new student orientation fee, transfer student orientation fee, student activity fee, athletic fee and registration fee — contribute major funding to resources and events ranging from Blue Demon Week to providing food during orientations.  Alyssa Maffia Kupka, the senior associate vice president of academic fiscal administration, gave The DePaulia a fee-by-fee breakdown of exactly where student dollars are going.

Every year, the provost assembles a Tuition Pricing Committee (TPC) comprised of members from Student Government Association (SGA), Faculty Council, Staff Council and the university administration. This group is responsible for reviewing and recommending changes in general fees to the provost.

Since 2010, general fees for DePaul undergraduates have remained stagnant. The upcoming academic year, however, will bring in a few slight changes. New and transfer students will face pricier orientation fees. Kupka said the cost of housing, feeding and transporting students during orientation has increased over the years, causing this increase in fees.

Under TPC’s recommendation, the registration fee will be discontinued next year. “The rationale being that registration is simply a fundamental process to an academic (or) university experience and students should not be expected to pay extra to simply register for courses,” Kupka said.

DePaul’s athletic fee of $25 has remained the same since its inception and pales in comparison to other universities in the Big East. According to the DePaul University Student Financial Accounts, students at other Big East schools pay $120 to $400 for the same privileges.

For returning DePaul students, the 2016-2017 academic year will see a decrease in general fees paid each quarter.