THE UNIVERSITY of the East belied claims of students that the school is collecting “unjustifiable, unnecessary and excessive fees.”

UE President Ester Garcia pointed out that miscellaneous fees are collected “to support and uphold the University’s mission to dedicate itself to the service of students, faculty, teaching and non-teaching personnel.”

“The essence of miscellaneous fees, like tuition fees, remains the same despite the forces that change the delivery of learning in educational environment,” Garcia said.

She maintained that the fees being collected are “just, necessary and above board.”

Students have questioned the collection of fees, including surcharge fee, and called on the university to explain why these payments continue even with the implementation of distance learning.

The UE president said that the five percent tuition surcharge “is a control set by the University to make sure funds are available within the semester.”

“You should also understand, as I have said in my letters time and again, that the University relies on the funds collected from tuition fees and miscellaneous fees for payment of salaries of faculty members and employees, cost of operation, purchase of needed instructional materials and facilities and other expenses,” she added.

Garcia also reiterated that there was “nothing arbitrary or illegal” in the disqualification of students who applied for scholarship.

“The scholarship that the University is granting to qualified students is a mere privilege burdened with conditions that may be set by the grantor.

Being a mere privilege or benefit, the University is not precluded from amending, altering, or revising the conditions that are attached with it, more so if the purpose is to ensure that scholarship is granted only to those who are worthy to receive it,” Garcia said.

She maintained that the imposition of a 7 percent limit on the number of learners who will be granted scholarship is “very much compliant and way above the requirement set by law.”

Garcia reiterated that the students’ interests, being the most important stakeholders, is their utmost priority.

“We our doing our best to ensure that UE will not suffer unfortunate fate which other schools suffered. We want that after pandemic is over and after many years, our beloved Lualhati will still be here for you and our alumni to return to,” she said.