The New Jersey State Senate’s Higher Education Committee approved the “Snooki” bill Thursday, which would “require colleges to publish an online breakdown of student fees and allow students to decline certain student-managed expenses.”
Senate bill 703 came about after Jersey Shore star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi was paid $32,000 to appear at Rutgers University back in 2011.
Some of that with which Snook was paid came from mandatory student fees all Rutgers’ students pay with their tuition.
The proposal, says sponsor Sen. Joe Kyrillos (R-Monmouth), was directly motivated by the MTV star’s two one-hour question-and-answer sessions on Rutgers’ campus in 2011.
Kyrillos’ bill would require college and universities to publish a breakdown of students fees online, sorting them into student-managed entertainment, capital improvement and other categories. Students would be allowed to opt-out of student-managed entertainment fees under the bill but not other fees, such as those needed for libraries, technology or health facilities.
“College students and their families should know exactly what they’re paying for, before their money is taken,” Kyrillos said. “By offering them the chance to opt-out, we are giving students the opportunity to create and pay for the college experience they want, instead of forcing them to pay for frivolous events that do not contribute to the quality education that they deserve.”
Polizzi had offered her Rutgers audience brilliant advice like “study hard, but party harder,” and remarkably was paid $2,000 more than noted author Toni Morrison.
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