United Campus Workers in Georgia Secure a Big Win for College Students

University of Georgia graduate student and member of the United Campus Workers Georgia (CWA Local 3265) Bryant Barnes testified recently at a state senate committee hearing in favor of eliminating the special institutional fee.

In a win for current and prospective students at Georgia’s 26 public universities, the state senate’s Student Fees Study Committee has recommended the elimination of the special institutional fee. This recommendation comes as a result of the mobilization of United Campus Workers-Georgia (CWA Local 3265) activists, including a recent testimony by University of Georgia graduate student Bryant Barnes at a Committee hearing. The mandatory fee, which can range from $200 to over $500, was initially implemented by the state’s Board of Regents during the Great Recession. It has been a burden for students, parents, and public officials who are already grappling with the increasingly high cost of college education in the state.