Regents vote to increase tuition

Students at Georgia College & State University will pay eight percent more in tuition this fall as a result of a decision made Tuesday, April 19 by the Board of Regents.

Tuition for in-state undergraduate students will rise from $1,576 to $1,702, an increase of $126 per semester. Out-of-state undergraduate tuition will rise $504 per semester, from $6,304 to $6,808.

Part-time, in-state undergraduates will pay $142 per credit hour, while part-time, out-of-state undergraduates will pay $568 per credit hour.

Tuition for in-state graduate students will increase from $1,891 to $2,042 per semester; out-of-state graduate tuition will increase from $7,564 to $8,169 per semester.

Part-time graduate students will pay $171 per credit hour if they are in-state residents, and out-of-state part-time graduate students will pay $681 per credit hour.

GC&SU President Dorothy Leland said she expected the tuition increase because of four consecutive years of budget reductions made by the University System of Georgia.

“Although the USG was able to avoid a mid-year tuition increase, the Chancellor [Thomas C. Meredith] made it clear tuition would rise to maintain quality in University System of Georgia institutions,” Leland said.

The USG Board of Regents, who met at Armstrong Atlantic State University, voted to raise undergraduate resident tuition for all 34 institutions within the system. The board also voted to increase tuition $135 per semester at its four research universities,$58 per semester at the regional and state universities, and $37 per semester at the two-year colleges.

According to Leland, the tuition increase will provide better services for students.

“Without a tuition increase, we would have been forced to eliminate additional faculty and staff positions, resulting in increased part-time instruction and larger class sizes,” Leland said.

The tuition increase will be covered under the HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally) Scholarship, and the financial aid budget will be adjusted according to tuition costs and fees. The budget also includes living expenses, room and board, and books and supplies.

Paul Jones, Vice President for Institutional Research and Enrollment Management, said the board did take the costs for students into consideration.

“We are always sensitive to increases in cost for students,” said Jones. “We certainly want to make sure we remain affordable to the students we serve. The increases are necessary.”

According to Jones, the tuition increase should not deter potential students from attending GC&SU.

“Our students and their families choose GC&SU because of the cost and the value of education received,” said Jones. “Our families are savvy shoppers, and will look at all aspects of the institution.”

Leland said university presidents provided the Board of Regents with information regarding the impact that budget reductions have on student programs and services.

“Unless they are invited to make presentations on specific topics, presidents and staff from USG institutions don’t participate in the debate at Board of Regents meetings,” Leland said.

The tuition increases are part of a strategy initiated by USG Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith and senior USG officials for 2005-2006. The strategy is focused on increasing the number of full-time faculty within the University System, as well as ensuring affordable tuition at two-year colleges and increasing national competitiveness.

According to the University System office, tuition will generate approximately $43.6 million in revenue during the next academic year.

Angela Hall, junior at GC&SU, said the increase has its pros and cons.

“It may be beneficial in the long run if it gets more teachers in the University System,” said Hall. “However, it seems tuition may reach a price that will prevent people from attending college.”

Freshman Cortney Miller said that although an increase is difficult for many students, they may also benefit.

“There are already people who have a hard time paying for college,” said Miller. “If the money goes to make the university better in terms of education, It [the increase] will be a good thing. The money rarely goes to what it is supposed to, though.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Apr 29 2005. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry