Rising rate

Tuition increase bodes poorly for 'U' students

In July, the University Board of Regents approved a 3.9-percent tuition increase as part of the 1998-99 budget. The increase marks a departure from the trend of successively smaller tuition increases over recent years. Though the University faced a significantly depleted state appropriation this year, the tuition increase was excessive and will likely harm students' ability to afford a University education.

In addition to the tuition increase, LSA students will have an extra $30 per semester technology fee tacked on. While the tuition increase is needed to improve the University, the fee is particularly burdensome, and the University should find ways to reduce future tuition increases. While adding fees to tuition is nothing new, the technology fee is particularly costly in light of the already large tuition increase. Adding $30 raises the tuition increase an addition one percent for LSA students. The University should strive to keep up with technological advancements, but administrators should look at other sources of funding rather than extracting additional expenses from students. For many students, the cost of education at the University is very difficult to meet. Extra fees like this - while they may seem small to some - can possibly drive the price too high and contribute to the University's dropout rate.

The University's tuition increase also penalizes students in another way. The state of Michigan gives a tuition tax credit to students whose colleges or universities keep their tuition increases at or below the rate of inflation. This year, the rate of inflation is approximately 2.3 percent - significantly less than the 3.9-percent tuition increase. The University must take into account such benefits for students when setting up its budget and attempt to make this opportunity available to students.

The University should involve students when developing the multi-million dollar budget. This year, students were unable to look at the budget until it was made public at Thursday's meeting. This is in poor form since students provide the shoulders on which much of the financial burden falls. Obviously, with so much financial responsibility, student input should at least be sought during the creation of the annual budget. Such feedback can bring attention to student concerns that the administration might not be aware of, and make future budgets more student-friendly while maintaining the University as a leading institution.

Also, as Michigan Student Assembly President Trent Thompson noted during public comments, students generally will support a tuition increase if they understand why more money is needed and what aspects of the University will benefit from the increase. By not including students when developing the budget, the University leaves many students wondering where their money goes.

The University will be devoting much of its budget increase to the faculty. Often underpaid when compared to similar institutions, University faculty will see wage increases on a scale of 4 to 5 percent. To keep the best instructors in their fields, the University must pay wages commensurate with instructors' skills.

The administration must make strides to ensure that the previous trend of progressively lower tuition increases is once again embraced. In addition, it needs to do more to ensure that student concerns play a greater part in future budgets. The University must remain affordable at the same time that it stays academically competitive.

09-08-98