The $20 Question: What LBCC’s Online Course Fee Pays For

Students enrolling in online courses at Linn-Benton Community College may notice an additional $20 fee added to each class. The charge, listed among the college’s tuition fees, helps cover the cost of the technology and support required to run online courses.

According to LBCC’s website, every online class includes the $20 fee, which supports the Canvas learning management system and services related to online instruction. Jess Jacobs, LBCC’s accounting and budget director, said the fee helps pay for Canvas licensing as well as a full-time staff member who provides technical and instructional support for students and faculty. 

Canvas plays a central role in LBCC’s online classes, allowing students to access coursework, submit assignments and communicate with instructors. Maintaining the platform and supporting faculty who design online courses requires both technical resources and staff expertise, Jacobs said.

The position has a “large impact on the quality of online instruction,” Jacobs added. “The position not only provides technical support but also advice/guidance on online teaching approaches/ideas/methods.”

More than anything, the fee is essential for ensuring the functionality of Canvas, Jacobs said, adding that the college cannot function without Canvas and that the support position has a large impact on the quality of online instructions. 

Eric Bryant is the college’s full-time Canvas support person, LBCC’s eLearning systems administrator. But he’s not the only one involved in keeping the online courses running smoothly for students, staff and faculty. 

Renee O’Neal is the college’s instructional designer.  She “supports faculty in creating intentional learning experiences by aligning pedagogy, assessment, and technology to improve student learning,” Bryant said. 

 “Manages the LBCC Canvas Learning Management System and provides support/training to faculty and students, ensuring a smooth eLearning experience with data security and compliance.”

According to Jacobs, the $20 online course fee helps fund both the college’s Canvas learning management system and the staff who support it. The fee contributes to annual licensing cost of Canvas as well as a full-time support position that assists students and faculty with technical issues and online course design.

Students, however, had mixed reactions to the additional fee. In a small survey of LBCC students conducted for this story, many said they were unaware of the fee until registering for classes or reviewing their tuition bill. 

“When I saw the fee, I was a little upset,” one student said in the survey. “I took online courses because it would be cheaper for me as money can be hard a lot of the time. So finding out that my prices increased even just by $20 made me a little nervous.”

While the fee helps fund the systems and staff that support online learning, student responses suggest that many are still learning about the cost and what it pays for.  

Students who want to share their thoughts about the online course fee can participate in the survey linked here.