Student Council introduced a resolution last night to support the acceptance of credit cards as a payment option for tuition and fees.
According to the resolution, "tuition and fees can be a large expense" and by paying this expense with a credit card, students and families can "yield material benefits."
Arthur Durst, a Council representative and sponsor of the resolution, said schools such as Georgetown, Johns Hopkins and the University of Texas currently offer credit card payment options.
"It's kind of ridiculous that you can go to McDonald's and buy a Coke [with a credit card], but you can't pay your college tuition with it," he said.
Durst explained "U.Va. has an especially high-income student body with good credit," he said.
If University students want to pay tuition with a credit card in order to receive benefits such as frequent flyer miles, Durst said, then they should have that option.
However, Durst pointed out that there are charges included in this payment option.
"The people accepting the credit card pay a fee," Durst explained. "Then the credit card company gives them money."
According to Durst, it is because of this usage fee that the University does not currently offer credit cards as a tuition payment option.
"There are costs associated with it, but there are ways around it," he said. "People are going to pay anyway."
Council Executive Vice President Darius Nabors said that it would be up to the students to choose whether or not to use credit cards as a payment option.
"[It] gives students the opportunity to get benefits from credit card companies," Nabors said, "[but] students make that decision themselves."
Nabors said he believes the resolution would promote student self-governance and allows University students to make their own decisions.
Durst emphasized the choices available as well.
"You have the option not to [use credit]," he said. "You can pay any way you like."
The resolution will be voted on at Council's meeting next Tuesday.
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