University of Alaska tuition to jump 10 percent
ANCHORAGE - University of Alaska students at the three main campuses will see tuition increase 10 percent starting next fall.
Directors of campuses outside Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau will have the option of requiring smaller increases.
At a meeting devoted to mostly budget matters, the university Board of Regents voted 7-3 in favor of the increase sought by President Mark Hamilton. Student Regent Derek Miller of Fairbanks voted no, citing the effect on students.
"It's a huge hit for some of them," Miller said.
Depending on classes taken, the tuition increase for undergraduate students taking 15 credits could cost as much as $135 more per semester. Total per-semester tuition will total as much as $1,530. Tuition does not cover fees, housing or books.
The university estimates the tuition increase, coupled with a projected 5 percent enrollment increase, will bring in $8.1 million a year.
The administration proposed another 10 percent increase for the 2004-2005 school year, but regents took no action on the plan.
At Hamilton's suggestion, regents made a concession that could help students at rural campuses. A 3.6 percent tuition increase tied to inflation goes into effect, but directors at rural campuses will have the option of waiving the rest of the increase.
"They can waive the 6.4 percent increase on a campus-wide basis or on a case-by-case basis," said UA Public Affairs Director Bob Miller.
The amount waived would be deducted from that campus' share of tuition receipts.
Regent Chairman Chancy Croft of Anchorage said the provision could allow communities to have a role in supporting colleges. At one campus, Prince William Sound in Valdez, the community already kicks in about a third of the campus budget, Croft said.
Student Regent Miller said student opinion reflected in surveys, forums and testimony Tuesday indicated strong opposition to the tuition hike.
"It has been a unanimous feeling of not going for this thing," Miller said.
The university attracts nontraditional students attending part-time in their home communities while trying to support families, Miller said. For them, the tuition hike is especially unwelcome.
"It makes it a lot more difficult for them to attend," Miller said.
Regent Elsa Froehlich Demeksa of Juneau called the tuition increase "a bit exorbitant."
She said the university has been seeking $16.9 million budget increases from the Legislature. Legislators have come through with less and the university is turning to students to make up the difference.
She also said a tuition hike flies in the face of UA efforts to halt Alaska's "brain drain." The UA standing offer of free tuition to the top 10 percent of Alaska high school students will be made up by the tuition increase.
"These students are going to be subsidizing all the scholarship programs we have," Demeksa said.
A commitment by Hamilton to help Alaskans seek Pell Grants and other federal money may be an empty promise, Demeksa said.
"Alaskans by and large do not meet the federal poverty guidelines," she said. "Our income is too high."
Croft said the university needs the money from the tuition increase.
And it would be difficult to keep seeking more state money from legislators without also asking students to help with rising costs, Croft said.
Regents also approved a fiscal year 2004 operating budget, to be submitted to the governor's office and considered by the Legislature next year.
Regents backed a budget submitted by Hamilton that calls for $224.7 million in state general funds, an increase of $13.6 million over this year.
Overall, counting tuition, federal money and other receipts that add up to $422.6 million, the university proposes spending $647.3 million.