This story is being republished under a special NJ News Commons content-sharing agreement related to COVID-19 coverage. Link to story: tapinto.net/towns/new-brunswick/articles/rutgers-announces-15-reduction-in-student-fees

Rutgers will be reducing its campus fees charged to all full-time and part-time students on its New Brunswick, Newark and Camden campuses, according to a letter sent to students from President Jonathan Holloway on Thursday.

Students will get a 15% break on their campus fees for the fall semester.

For full-time undergraduate students, that will translate into a savings of about $300.

“New Jersey has suffered immensely from the virus and its devastating effect on our economy,” according to Holloway’s letter. “No one in the Rutgers community has been immune from the impact of the pandemic. Many in our community have lost loved ones, fallen ill themselves, stayed home to care for their families, or felt the financial impact of lost jobs and closed businesses. Rutgers remains committed to doing everything it can to help our students, our community, and our state persevere through this crisis.”

According to Rutgers website, the campus fee supports student enhancement programs, services, and facilities, which complement and support the academic experience, such as health services, recreation centers, student centers, student events and concerts, campus buses, and athletics, among others.

Part-time students are charged a smaller amount because the fee for part-time students does not include health services coverage and athletic event tickets.

Last month, the university announced a tuition and fee freeze for undergraduate students for the 2020-21 academic year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While tuition and fee increases have been consistently low over the last five years, the Board of Governors committed to a zero percent increase this year so students and families can access an affordable Rutgers education during this unprecedented crisis,” said Mark Angelson, chair of the Board of Governors.

For the last five academic years, Rutgers increased tuition and fees an average of 2.2% – typically below average increases at institutions in neighboring states under normal circumstances. However, the board voted to keep tuition and mandatory student fees at the 2019-2020 levels.

During his first news conference as university president last week, Holloway said the school is facing a shortfall of $160 million due in part to a drop of state aid.