UA regents look at tuition hikes
FAIRBANKS - The University of Alaska Board of Regents was set to decide today on another proposed tuition increase, a move administrators say is necessary to fund nursing programs and other service expansions.
UA President Mark Hamilton has asked for 10 percent tuition hikes for the next two academic years.
Increases would take effect in the spring, when the university's academic year begins.
The proposed increases would apply to undergraduate and graduate courses throughout the university system, and to the already higher rates than nonresidents pay.
For example, a full-time undergraduate taking 30 credits a year would pay $300 more than now. Many undergraduates take fewer credits a year and therefore attend for longer than four years. They may face increases year after year.
In September 2003, the regents approved a 10 percent hike to begin in the spring of 2005. Tuition previously went up 10 percent in the spring of 2004. Hamilton is now asking for increases in the spring of 2006 and 2007 as well.
Regents took comments from students Tuesday, launching a two-day meeting in Fairbanks. Students asked regents to skip an increase for the 2005-06 year and reassess the question next year, said Wendy Redman, UA vice president for university relations.
With the state providing just enough funding to meet costs, other sources of funds like tuition are the only places to turn to do anything else, Redman said.
"The state just hasn't really been able to keep up with our needs," she said.
During testimony Tuesday, students said though the hike didn't seem like much, it would be burdensome when added to other costs, such as day care, student fees and books, according to Redman. She said any adverse effects are difficult to measure, judging by previous tuition hikes.
"How do you tell that? We continue to see an increase in enrollment," Redman said. "Overall, the university continues to be very affordable."
The Associated Students of the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the statewide Coalition of Student Leaders oppose the increases.
ASUAF president Thom Walker said the recent hikes haven't resulted in increased services for most students, and that the hikes would hit students too hard.
"There's only so much we can do to pay for this," he said. "The university is pricing students out of education."
If the regents were to reject the increases, tuition would instead go up based on an index of the costs of higher education. Redman said that would mean about a 4.8 percent increase this year.