Tuition Proposal Revised Downward

Utah State University students learned some good news Tuesday — a proposed 43 percent tuition increase over the next three years has been eliminated. Instead, new President Stan Albrecht announced Tuesday (March 1) that the proposed second-tier increase for the 2005-2006 year has been reduced from 11 percent to 6.25 percent.

 

The first-tier increase of 3.4 percent, mandated by the Legislature, brings the total tuition increase to 9.65 percent for 2005-2006, down from the originally proposed 13.5 percent total (see accompanying chart).

 

President Albrecht said he wanted to take aggressive efforts to lessen the burden on students, and he especially prioritized getting the tuition increase down to single digits.

 

“I had two immediate, major goals when I was named president,” he said. “I wanted to address faculty and staff compensation issues, and I promised myself that I had to find a way to address affordability issues for students. I am extremely pleased to say we’ve made significant progress on both counts.”

 

The proposed tier-two increase would raise approximately $3.3 million for Utah State. The money would be used for a variety of priority needs, including faculty and staff compensation, student initiatives, classroom instructional technology, university libraries, department operating budgets and major university initiatives.

 

President Albrecht said these funding allocations were determined after many meetings with students, faculty and staff. Student advocates worked with their constituents to determine priority student needs, which are funded under the “student initiatives” allocation of the proposal. In addition, it is important to note that all of the allocations in the proposal would improve the quality of experience for students at Utah State.

 

“Most of the allocations will have a direct impact on students’ lives,” President Albrecht said. “We hope increases in department operating budgets will help reduce class fees. Library and classroom technology initiatives certainly will benefit students immediately. And many of the selective investment initiatives will address student priorities.”

 

The good news about tier-two dollars is that they stay at Utah State, and the university determines how the money will be used, focusing on its own priority needs.

 

President Albrecht said he appreciates the fact that students supported the original tier-two increase proposal, announced at a public meeting in November 2004. It is too early to predict what will happen in the future, but whatever increases do arise over the next three years, they will be lower than 43 percent, he said.

 

A public hearing to outline this latest second-tier tuition proposal and to solicit feedback is scheduled for noon, Tuesday, March 8, in the Taggart Student Center Sunburst Lounge. Everyone is welcome and comments are appreciated.

 

Writer and contact: Tim Vitale (435) 797-1356, tim.vitale@usu.edu