UWSP ends discriminatory tutoring policy ‘effective immediately’
In response to inquiries from Campus Reform, UWSP is waiving the fee for the rest of the current semester, and will only exempt low-income students starting in Fall 2018.
The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is ending a policy that exempted all "U.S. minorities" from the $9/session fee for one-on-one tutoring sessions.
The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point says it will no longer exempt minority students from the fees it charges for one-on-one tutoring sessions.
In response to an inquiry from Campus Reform, UWSP has indicated that it will waive the $9/session fee for the remainder of the Spring 2018 semester, after which it will only offer exceptions to low-income students.
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As recently as last week, the website for the school’s tutoring center featured a disclaimer stating that private tutoring sessions were “free for low income, U.S. minorities, non-trads, and veterans” while noting that “all others” would be assessed the standard fee.
The fee policy appeared to contradict the university’s Nondiscrimination Statement, which forbids “Discrimination based on an individual’s age, race, color...or other protected class status,” saying that such discrimination “is demeaning to all students, employees, and guests; impairs the process of education; and violates individual rights.”
UWSP’s media relations department initially told Campus Reform that the school has “no-fee tutoring services available to all students,” but after subsequent inquiries with UWSP’s general counsel concerning the legality of the policy, the school provided a statement indicating that the fee policy will be completely revamped.
"We have reviewed the fees charged for tutoring. Effective immediately, one-on-one tutoring is available at no charge to all UW-Stevens Point students for the Spring 2018 semester. In Fall 2018, a $9 per session fee will be charged to all students for one-on-one tutoring,” said Gretel Stock-Kupperman, the dean of University College at UWSP. “Students who have been identified as low income based on information submitted on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are exempt from the session fee.”
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Stock-Kupperman also noted that the one-on-one tutoring option “is one of several no-fee tutoring options that exist, including a drop-in math/science tutoring service with expanded hours for any interested student,” and affirmed that “UW-Stevens Point supports the success of all our students.”
The tutoring center website now lists one-on-one tutoring sessions as “FREE for all students!”
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