Tuition increase expected because of increasing UA costs
Insurance, utilities and library fees among the most costly to maintain
Jessica Powviriya
Issue date: 1/14/09 Section: News
A tuition increase for students is expected to be pursued later this year at the UA to help cover increasing costs of the college, a spokesman for the university said.
"Insurance costs continue to skyrocket by double-digit percentages each year," said Tysen Kendig, the associate vice chancellor for University Relations.
Utilities costs have steadily increased. Library materials, particularly periodicals, continue to come with exorbitant price tags that continue to rise dramatically, he said.
"The university also faces serious capital renewal needs over the next decade," he said. "These are just a few of the many funding challenges faced annually."
The university's proposed budget for the 2009-10 academic year will be developed and put before the board of trustees for approval later this spring. That proposal would include a tuition schedule for the coming year.
"We're mindful of the burden placed on students by relying too heavily on tuition," Kendig said.
The current tuition per semester credit hour for an undergraduate resident is $167; for an undergraduate non-resident, $462; for a graduate resident, $295; and for a graduate non-resident, $697.
Kendig said it is too early to guess the details of next year's tuition rates beyond the preliminary outlook that an increase of some kind appears to be unavoidable for the next year.
"At this point," Kendig said, "we don't know what our state appropriation will be, and we're still far enough out that other variables cannot accurately be gauged."
Kendig also referred to Chancellor G. David Gearhart's announcement last week of the creation of a Commission on Affordability and Cost Containment. Don Pederson, vice chancellor for finance and administration, has been chosen to chair the committee.
The group will be charged with more aggressively "ferreting out any waste and using savings to help control tuition and better support institutional priorities," Kendig said.
"Insurance costs continue to skyrocket by double-digit percentages each year," said Tysen Kendig, the associate vice chancellor for University Relations.
Utilities costs have steadily increased. Library materials, particularly periodicals, continue to come with exorbitant price tags that continue to rise dramatically, he said.
"The university also faces serious capital renewal needs over the next decade," he said. "These are just a few of the many funding challenges faced annually."
The university's proposed budget for the 2009-10 academic year will be developed and put before the board of trustees for approval later this spring. That proposal would include a tuition schedule for the coming year.
"We're mindful of the burden placed on students by relying too heavily on tuition," Kendig said.
The current tuition per semester credit hour for an undergraduate resident is $167; for an undergraduate non-resident, $462; for a graduate resident, $295; and for a graduate non-resident, $697.
Kendig said it is too early to guess the details of next year's tuition rates beyond the preliminary outlook that an increase of some kind appears to be unavoidable for the next year.
"At this point," Kendig said, "we don't know what our state appropriation will be, and we're still far enough out that other variables cannot accurately be gauged."
Kendig also referred to Chancellor G. David Gearhart's announcement last week of the creation of a Commission on Affordability and Cost Containment. Don Pederson, vice chancellor for finance and administration, has been chosen to chair the committee.
The group will be charged with more aggressively "ferreting out any waste and using savings to help control tuition and better support institutional priorities," Kendig said.
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