3.9 percent USU tuition increase for the 2018-19 school year
Utah State University will be increasing its tuition* cost by 3.9 percent for the 2018-19 school year, the second year in a row a tuition increase has been implemented. USU President Noelle Cockett and USU Student Association President Michael Scott Peters discussed the increases at the “Truth in Tuition” presentation Wednesday.
All higher education institutions in the state are required to increase their Tier I tuition by 1.5 percent in the 2018-19 academic year.
The Tier I increase is decided by the Utah Legislature, based on salary increases, which then must be approved by the Board of Regents.
“I did not have much say on that,” Cockett said, “and I’m sorry to say that students have even less say on that.”
Individual universities have no control over Tier I tuition increases, but control the Tier II increases.
Cockett explained that Tier II tuition is used for university initiatives. The money is used to put USUSA ideas into action. Cockett said she specifically wants to use this funding for disability resources.
Peters added that Tier II tuition will be used for compliance issues, specifically with sexual assault, mental health and speeding up the process for Title IX investigations. Funds will also go to the Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence Information office.
Tier II tuition will increase by 2.4 percent.
Peters said other issues fellow student body officers brought up included classroom improvements, such as getting rid of boxelder bugs in the Ray B. West building.
President Noelle Cockett talks about the tuition for the 2018-19 school year, that few students attended on Wednesday March 14th. The “Truth in Tuition” event was open to the public in the TSC auditorium.
Cockett said USUSA has a fund in place for classroom improvements, which she hopes to add to.
Peters added that after USUSA officials met, his door was open to students to come and share anything they wanted to change.
“We did not receive any further requests, but there are more years and more opportunities,” Peters said.
He added that his door is still open if there is anything students want to discuss.
Tier I tuition will cost in-state students an additional $45.78 plus Tier II tuition is $73.25. The total increase for in-state students is $119.04.
USU students provide 43 percent of the university’s academic budget, and the state covers about 57 percent.
Cockett said the state gives USU $1.37 for every dollar collected in tuition. She added that the state hasn’t restored the funds that were drastically cut from the university during the recession.
USU is not receiving any additional funding from the legislature for faculty promotion. When assistant professors are given a tenure-track position and promoted to associate professors, they receive a one percent salary increase.
In the 2017-18 year, Cockett said, USU had 65 faculty who were considered for promotion and tenure.
Compared to 20 other universities in the West, tuition at USU is the sixth lowest. Compared to other states, Utah’s public institutions have the third lowest average tuition rate.
Snow College is the cheapest Utah college, with in-state resident tuition and fees at about $4,000 a year. The University of Utah is the most expensive at $9,000. USU’s in-state tuition and fees cost about $7,000 a year.
Cockett said that people “can’t believe” USU’s tuition price is so inexpensive — especially people from California who pay up to $40,000.
“We know these are your dollars,” Cockett said. “We need to be careful stewards of them.”
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*Tuition increases apply to students taking 12-18 credits