Lab Charges Removed In Chemistry Courses

Chemistry concentrators will no longer be forced to pay several hundred dollars more than the average student to graduate.

Ronald E. Vanelli '41, Director of the Chemical Laboratories, yesterday said that this year the University is footing the bills for supplies used in courses. Previously, expenses were met by dividing the total costs in a course among all students enrolled in it.

Combined breakage and supply bills have in the past cost chemistry concentrators an average of $300 during their four years at the College.

Breakage fees will still be charged, but since breakage seldom amounts to more than 30 per cent of the total expenses, the change in policy will pass substantial savings on to each student.

Redefinition

The change came as a result of a new interpretation of the term breakage by the Department of Chemistry. Some 20 years ago, the University Corporation decided that science students should pay no more in tuition fees than non-scientists, but that they should be forced to reimburse the University for materials that they damaged.

This provision for breakage fees was given a liberal interpretation by the Department of Chemistry at the time and construed so as to include chemicals, demonstration material used by lecturers, and other expenses.

"We felt that this arrangement was unfair to the student," Paul D. Bartlett, Erving Professor of Chemistry and Chairman of the Department, said yesterday. "Students will now pay for breakage only."

"Comply In Spirit"

"The Department wanted to make sure it was complying with the spirit of the original Corporation decision," he added.

The increased expenses, amounting to over $10,000 per year, will not affect other areas of the Department of Chemistry, but will be paid directly by the University.

The change applies only to courses with systematized laboratory programs. Graduate students doing research make their own arrangements.