WSU now says it won’t charge seniors to audit classes; apologizes for confusion

Wichita State reversed course Wednesday, saying it no longer plans to charge Kansas residents 60 and older to audit classes.

The university outlined new fees in a letter to previous senior auditors earlier this month, but two days after The Eagle reported on the decision to charge seniors, a WSU spokesperson called the letter an error.

“The recently announced change in fee structure will not impact the cost to senior citizens who audit WSU courses,” said Lainie Mazzullo-Hart, WSU’s director of news and media relations. “The letter sent to seniors last week was in error, and we regret the confusion caused by that.”

The Kansas Board of Regents policy states that senior auditors at state universities should be exempt from paying tuition and fees that are required of every student. In the past, WSU auditors have only been expected to pay for lab and other special course fees.

“Individuals 60 plus years of age will continue to not pay course fees,” Mazzullo-Hart said. “Occasionally, as has always been the case, a course will have incidental costs for supplies needed to participate in class activities. In those cases, students will be responsible for those expenses.”

In the letter to senior auditors, WSU outlined “a sample” of new college-specific charges, ranging from $7.75 a credit hour for liberal arts and science courses to $68 a credit hour for business courses.

Mazzullo-Hart said the university will send a letter of clarification to seniors who received the previous letter.

Tuition-paying students will still be charged the new college-specific course fees.

This story was originally published July 14, 2021 at 2:35 PM.