In a general sense, you are completely right, but this seems to be a college. By being a student, you’ve agreed to ALL the terms they hand you. If you decline, then you aren’t a student anymore. Even if you pay EVERYTHING you owe except the unfair vandalism fee, you’re not getting a diploma.
Fairly certain you could take something like this to court. You didn’t agree to this when you first signed the paperwork to live there, to turn around and say “okay, now you also have to pay us a surprise $10k or you don’t get the diploma you paid for” sounds hella illegal.
I’m not disagreeing that it’s shitty as hell, but they could easily implement the rule in between semesters. You’d be agreeing to all the terms when you registered for the next set of classes.
Again, it’s a super slimy thing to do, and it should be illegal, but you’d spend more fighting a University in court then you would just paying the fees, and you’d be at a MAJOR disadvantage when they show up with your signed agreement to abide by ALL campus policies.
This seems…unlawful…
Edit - for anyone who actually knows stuff about things, is it?
A lot can be legal if you agree to it. But they absolutely can’t unilaterally declare this rule into effect.
Just don’t pay, what are they gonna do? Sue you for damages that they admit themselves can’t prove?
In a general sense, you are completely right, but this seems to be a college. By being a student, you’ve agreed to ALL the terms they hand you. If you decline, then you aren’t a student anymore. Even if you pay EVERYTHING you owe except the unfair vandalism fee, you’re not getting a diploma.
Fairly certain you could take something like this to court. You didn’t agree to this when you first signed the paperwork to live there, to turn around and say “okay, now you also have to pay us a surprise $10k or you don’t get the diploma you paid for” sounds hella illegal.
I’m not disagreeing that it’s shitty as hell, but they could easily implement the rule in between semesters. You’d be agreeing to all the terms when you registered for the next set of classes.
Again, it’s a super slimy thing to do, and it should be illegal, but you’d spend more fighting a University in court then you would just paying the fees, and you’d be at a MAJOR disadvantage when they show up with your signed agreement to abide by ALL campus policies.