Giving UA students only a few months to come up with an extra $1,100 in tuition presents a huge financial obstacle that could force people to drop out, students said at a hearing Monday night.
The increase, proposed by University of Arizona President Robert Shelton, is designed to partially offset about $77 million in state budget cuts the institution has taken since last summer.
But UA students who spoke at an Arizona Board of Regents tuition hearing said the surcharge, coupled with a $545 in-state undergraduate tuition increase approved in December, over-burdens students.
With the surcharge, the new total cost of attending — $7,176 — would be unaffordable, said Kyle Versluis, a UA junior.
"You're shooting me down if you do this to me," he said. "I won't be able to go to school anymore."
People are also reading…
Versluis was one of a handful of UA students to address the regents, who conducted the hearing via videoconference at sites throughout the state.
Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University are proposing similar surcharges. ASU is asking students to pay a $1,200 surcharge and an $80 health fee. NAU is calling for students to pay a $350 surcharge and a $72 increase in the campus technology fee. However, NAU students participating in the 2008 guaranteed-tuition program wouldn't have to pay the surcharge.
The regents are expected to consider the surcharges at a meeting next week.
Expecting a large crowd of students and parents Monday, UA officials moved the hearing site to the Student Union Memorial Center ballroom. However, only a few dozen students and other onlookers turned out at the meeting.
Elma Delic, a UA sophomore whose brother attends ASU, said neither she nor her parents could afford the surcharges.
"It's really scaring me to be halfway done with college and not know if I can graduate," she said.
Shelton plans to set aside 20 percent of the surcharge for financial aid to help low-income students cope with the increase. After accounting for the financial-aid money, Shelton expects the hike would bring in nearly $27 million.
The goal of the surcharge is to keep the UA operating at a high level, though the money raised would fall far short of the cuts made by lawmakers, Shelton said.
"It is essential that we maintain the quality of our programs," he said. "We feel the combination of the cuts that were taken plus the tuition surcharge has the right balance."
The surcharge would be a temporary increase that would be repealed once lawmakers restore funding to 2008 levels, Shelton said.
Despite Shelton's comments, UA students said they were concerned the hike would become permanent and urged regents to write a sunset clause into the surcharges.
And by approving such a large midyear increase, regents would be setting a dangerous precedent that throws out all notions of predictable, affordable tuition increases, said Michael Slugocki, a UA senior who leads a statewide student lobbying group.
"These are enormous increases in tuition, and it's simply the wrong time to be doing this," he said.
by the numbers
Breaking down the proposed tuition hikes:
University of Arizona
• Increase approved in December: $545
• Proposed: $1,100 surcharge for all students
• New proposed total for in-state undergraduates: $7,176
Arizona State University
• Increase approved in December: $591
• Proposed: $1,280 surcharge and fee increase for all students
• New proposed total for in-state undergraduates: $7,530
Northern Arizona University
• Increase approved in December: $759
• Proposed: $422 surcharge and fee increase for all students (students in 2008 guaranteed-tuition program exempt from surcharge)
• New proposed total for in-state undergraduates: $6,627
