Not only will the upcoming school year bring a possible rise in tuition, but art majors may see some rises in lab fees as well.

Art history and computer art classes are expecting a possible rise in fees. Some art history courses are currently going from no lab fees at all to $25 and some of the computer art classes are expected to shoot to $50 from nothing.

“Usually when the cost of material goes up, the fee goes up,” said Charlie Kanwischer, School of Art Associate director. “Fees are raised like every 10 years. We understand the fees are a burden to students so we do what we can to avoid it.”

Senior graphic design major Robyn Ferguson also thinks rising fees are a burden.

“On top of rising tuition, I don’t really see why [fees] are going up because we pay for own supplies,” Ferguson said. “I’ve only been in a couple of classes where the teacher gave us the supplies and that didn’t last the whole semester.”

Senior digital arts major Kelly Bresnan thinks it is unnecessary to have fees for art history classes but understands how the fees would come for digital art majors.

“I think it’s ridiculous for art history classes to have fees; all we do is sit and take notes,” Bresnan said. “Classes like [digital arts] use computer programs that can cost so much, the University probably gets good deals on them, but they still have to pay something for them.”

Knowing student concerns, Kanwischer said while he didn’t think the changes were big, he knows every little bit hurts.

“This is why we [raise fees] rarely and reluctantly,” he said.

One thing Kanwischer wanted students to know is that the school of art doesn’t just decide to raise fees on their own. A lab fee request has to be reviewed by three different levels to be approved.

“Only when we can’t sustain the quality of the course do we raise the fee … and usually when the need is so great, the fee is approved,” Kanwischer said.