Tuition to rise
Regents vote to increase tuition by 7.4 percent for undergrads
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Following May 20 state legislation that reduced appropriations to Michigan's public universities, the University Board of Regents voted unanimously July 19 in favor of a 7.4 percent increase in tuition costs for all undergraduate students for the 2008 fiscal year beginning Oct 1.
The resolution also approved a 5 percent increase in tuition for all graduate programs, except the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, the Ross School of Business, the School of Dentistry, the Law School and the School of Public Health, which will experience an increase of more than 5 percent.
The 7.4 percent increase at the University will make costs for undergraduates paying in-state tuition the third highest among public universities in the Big Ten, exceeded only by Penn State University and the University of Illinois.
The percentage increase translates into an extra $724 per year in tuition for undergraduates who are in-state residents. Tuition for out-of-state undergraduates will increase by $2,170.
The regents' decision to boost tuition came as they approved a general fund budget of $1.35 billion for the 2008 fiscal year on the Ann Arbor campus. General fund revenue is primarily produced by state appropriation, tuition and indirect cost recovery.
The University will also increase financial aid overall by 8.95 percent, bringing the total financial aid allotment to $99 million. An 11.5 percent financial aid increase will be designated specifically for undergraduates.
In a press conference shortly before the regents meeting, University Provost Teresa Sullivan said that although the exact amount of state appropriations this year has yet to be determined, the regents' decisions on the budget would be based on estimates compiled from the best information available.
"If these assumptions are wrong, if they go the other way, I think it's really incumbent of the regents to revisit this issue," Regent Martin Taylor said during the meeting. save funds by pursuing energy conservation and technologically-based projects, in addition to $3.5 million through the consolidation and elimination of staff positions.
"The belt has been tightened everywhere," Sullivan said.
She said she hopes the University's efforts to cut costs would not infringe on the quality of education, a major consideration in calculating savings plans.
"Most of the savings will be invisible to students," Sullivan said.
Although critics of the Regents' decision claim the tuition increase will prevent underprivileged applicants from attending the University, Sullivan does not think this will be the case.
"We anticipate that low and medium income students will have any need fully met, and will not feel the impact of it," Sullivan said.
Students from the University's Ann Arbor and Dearborn campuses and Michigan State University protested the tuition increase before the Regents' meeting.
Dearborn senior Steve Pontoni, who organized the protest, said he was unhappy with the Regents' decision.
"The protest went really well and we had about 20 folks come out," he said. " But the decision wasn't good enough. If things don't work out with the legislature, it (the tuition increase) could be higher."
By the numbers
$724
The increase in tuition for in-state
students next year
$2170
The increase in tuition for out-of-state
students next year
The resolution also approved a 5 percent increase in tuition for all graduate programs, except the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, the Ross School of Business, the School of Dentistry, the Law School and the School of Public Health, which will experience an increase of more than 5 percent.
The 7.4 percent increase at the University will make costs for undergraduates paying in-state tuition the third highest among public universities in the Big Ten, exceeded only by Penn State University and the University of Illinois.
The percentage increase translates into an extra $724 per year in tuition for undergraduates who are in-state residents. Tuition for out-of-state undergraduates will increase by $2,170.
The regents' decision to boost tuition came as they approved a general fund budget of $1.35 billion for the 2008 fiscal year on the Ann Arbor campus. General fund revenue is primarily produced by state appropriation, tuition and indirect cost recovery.
The University will also increase financial aid overall by 8.95 percent, bringing the total financial aid allotment to $99 million. An 11.5 percent financial aid increase will be designated specifically for undergraduates.
In a press conference shortly before the regents meeting, University Provost Teresa Sullivan said that although the exact amount of state appropriations this year has yet to be determined, the regents' decisions on the budget would be based on estimates compiled from the best information available.
"If these assumptions are wrong, if they go the other way, I think it's really incumbent of the regents to revisit this issue," Regent Martin Taylor said during the meeting. save funds by pursuing energy conservation and technologically-based projects, in addition to $3.5 million through the consolidation and elimination of staff positions.
"The belt has been tightened everywhere," Sullivan said.
She said she hopes the University's efforts to cut costs would not infringe on the quality of education, a major consideration in calculating savings plans.
"Most of the savings will be invisible to students," Sullivan said.
Although critics of the Regents' decision claim the tuition increase will prevent underprivileged applicants from attending the University, Sullivan does not think this will be the case.
"We anticipate that low and medium income students will have any need fully met, and will not feel the impact of it," Sullivan said.
Students from the University's Ann Arbor and Dearborn campuses and Michigan State University protested the tuition increase before the Regents' meeting.
Dearborn senior Steve Pontoni, who organized the protest, said he was unhappy with the Regents' decision.
"The protest went really well and we had about 20 folks come out," he said. " But the decision wasn't good enough. If things don't work out with the legislature, it (the tuition increase) could be higher."
By the numbers
$724
The increase in tuition for in-state
students next year
$2170
The increase in tuition for out-of-state
students next year
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 3
skateboard
posted 7/25/07 @ 2:32 PM EST
Possibly and most likely the present legislators did not perform well in high school math classes, and therefore are lacking in ability to balance a state budget. (Continued…)
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Joe
posted 7/25/07 @ 1:28 PM EST
This is just gross. I don't care what the Regents are saying, Michigan can't handle anything fiscally/administratively. We need people who can effectively run a budget. (Continued…)