Saddle Up, the new orientation program for University of Wyoming (UW) students, cost each in-state Wyoming resident student $580 for the week. The cost for out-of-state students equates to $1,085 for the week.
As reported by the official Saddle Up website, the program aims to allow students to “experience the demand and pace of a real college class taught by actual professors by enrolling in one college credit (UWYO 1019), move in one week early, and to become familiar with the university campus and its resources and people.” The program is mandatory for all incoming domestic first-time students.
Funding for this program came directly from the students participating. Each student in the program was charged $200 as a one-time fee. The 2022 UW fee book reports that the fee covers “Programming and personnel costs for Saddle Up including faculty, Cowboy Coaches, student workers, and supplemental instruction peers. It will also cover some programming costs for the newly redesigned Admitted Student Day and Summer Visit Programs.”
Students who are enrolled in 6 or more credits are currently charged $820.26 in mandatory fees, not including the Saddle Up fee. This includes fees for programs such as ASUW, Student Media, Athletics, Recycling, Transit, Student Success, and more. There are additional fees for academic advising and programs that vary based on a student’s college or school, as well as by classes that they are taking.
The $200 fee for Saddle Up represents a 24.4% increase to the mandatory fees charged to freshmen.
Next, each student who lives in the dorms during Saddle Up, which is required of all freshmen who do not receive a waiver to commute, was charged $220 for the extra week of a meal plan and living in the dorms. The costs covered staff for the Residence Halls, who had to report one week early. Furthermore, Washakie Dining Center had to cook additional meals for approximately 1,500 students who otherwise would not have been here.
Finally, since Saddle Up is a one credit hour class, students also had to pay tuition for the credit hour. In-state students paid $160 for the credit hour, which is the per-credit-hour tuition rate. Out-of-state students paid their per-credit-hour tuition rate, which is $665.
All told, the cost for the program for each student varied between $580 and $1,085. Some financial assistance was available, though it is not currently known how much, nor how many students benefited or how many applied.
Speaking to students, one RA reported that “Most of my freshmen thought it was too expensive and didn’t think it was worth it.”
One Saddle Up Pokes Pack leader, who wished to remain anonymous, reported that “I think the program was a mixed bag. It was good for 10% of students who needed to be whipped into shape, but the other 90% were just exhausted.”
The UW Board of Trustees will have a special meeting in September to discuss the Saddle Up program.
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