Tuition for USU students to increase by $211 next year
USU students will be paying an additional $211 in tuition next year after a unanimous vote from the Board of Regents Friday gave the proposed increase the OK, said Spencer Jenkins, assistant commissioner for public affairs for the Utah System of Higher Education.
All state-funded institutions of higher education will receive a 1 percent increase in tier one tuition. However, the number for tier two tuition was presented by central administrators from each school and had to be approved by the Board of Regents, Jenkins said.
USU President Stan Albrecht said tier one tuition is lower than it has ever been in Utah, and USU’s tier two increase does not compare to some other schools around the state.
“(Not including tier one tuition) there was a 4.5 percent increase for USU,” Albrecht said. “Our numbers are significantly lower than other institutions around Utah.”
Albrecht said the decision to keep the tuition increase low was partially related to the outcome of the referendum for the athletics department fee increase. While a rise in tuition is necessary, he said loading too much on the backs of USU students would be unfair and is not in the best interest of the core mission of the university.
The tuition increase will bring in between $2 million and $3 million, depending on enrollment next year, Albrecht said.
“If enrollment is flat we will generate over $2 million,” he said. “And if enrollment goes up we’ll generate over $3 million.”
Many of the commissioners at the meeting agreed that boosting tuition a small amount would help aid the current budget troubles all institutions of higher education in Utah are facing, stated a press release from the Utah System of Higher Education.
Jed Pitcher, chair of the Board of Regents, said in the release, “While it would have required an increase as high as 42 percent in tuition to make up for the state’s budget reductions, these proposed increases strike a good balance in meeting the increased demand for services while trimming back to meet our budgetary obligations.”
While students from every state-funded institution can expect to take a hit, some will be worse than others. University of Utah students are looking at a $430 increase, which is the highest of all state-funded institutions. Next in line with a $276 tuition increase is Utah Valley University, stated the press release.
At the bottom of the list sits Salt Lake Community College with only a $90 tuition increase, preceded by the College of Eastern Utah with a $170 increase, the release stated.
Tuition money is broken down into two tiers, said Grady Brimley, ASUSU president. Tier one tuition is taken and pooled with tier one tuition from all other state-funded institutions and tax dollars. The money is then handed back to each university to use.
Tier two tuition is kept at the university, Brimley said. Money from that pool goes toward the advancement of USU programs and initiatives. Tier two tuition is considerably smaller than tier one, he said.
In a public meeting last Monday, Albrecht presented the proposed tuition increase. During the meeting he described the needs of the university and said maintaining an excellent university is something that can not be compromised.
Albrecht said although he does not like raising the cost of education for students, it is something that must occur in these hard times.
“USU tuition fees are a great bargain considering the quality of education that is being offered,” he said in the meeting.
–greg.boyles@aggiemail.usu.edu