Reducing cost of internship credit worthy idea

An internship is required to complete a degree for many majors at Syracuse University. For some, that means paying for credit in order to complete an internship in the summer. In recent years, the cost per credit has exceeded $1,000.

The administration should act in the near future to lower the cost of the credits internship coordinators often deem necessary for student employment.

Steven Diaz, a member of the University Senate Committee on Instruction, presented a proposition at the organization’s meeting Wednesday that suggested reducing the tuition rate for internship credits earned during the summer to 10 percent of the current overall cost.

The committee originally pitched the idea to the administration in fall 2011. It has reintroduced the proposal now in hopes of seeing the reduced rates enforced for this summer.

Many students fulfill their internship requirements during the summer months for SU credit. Employers of unpaid internships often require their student employees to earn university credit as a form of compensation for their work in accordance with labor laws.

This means students are forced to pay additional tuition costs separate from the annual fee for attending SU and essentially pay for unpaid labor. Many internships also have additional costs beyond credits, including travel and housing, but students cannot generate income to balance these unavoidable expenses.

The administration should begin enforcing the USen committee’s plan for summer 2013. The cost of college is not only an investment, but also a burden for many. Requiring students to pay additional fees at such a high rate is a struggle for many students who need an internship to complete their degrees.

The proposed tuition rate for these credits is reasonable and much more manageable. Though some compensation should be paid to the university for credits, the current rate is unfair to students who may not be using any university resources to complete their internship and not gaining knowledge or a learning experience directly from SU during the summer.

The university should be a source of encouragement and inspiration for students who need or desire to gain internship experience. The additional high summer credit cost deters students from pursuing quality internships that require credit compensation, and may push students to pay another institution, like a community college, for the required credits.

Reducing this cost is in order at SU, and the Committee on Instruction’s proposal is an agreeable solution.