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UConn's tuition to rise next year due to recession
Kate King
Issue date: 2/9/09 Section: News
Pending approval by the Board of Trustees, undergraduate student tuition and room and board fees will increase 7 percent for in-state students and 8 percent for out-of-state students for the next academic year.
The increases are in response to decreased state support for UConn due to the current economic downturn, according to Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Richard Gray, who outlined the proposed tuition and fee increases at a sparsely attended open forum Friday afternoon. Gov. Rell's proposed budget, which she unveiled at the state capitol last Wednesday, calls for a 9.2 percent reduction in state funding to UConn for the next year and a 13.1 percent reduction for academic year 2011.
Although the governor has proposed a budget for the next two fiscal years, the university has only outlined tuition increases for academic year 2010 due to the rapidly changing nature of the economy.
"The kind of event we're looking at is an event that really has great uncertainty," Gray said.
The proposed tuition increases will raise the cost of tuition, room and board fees from the current $18,638 price tag for in-state students to $19,932, a 6.94 percent increase. For out-of-state students, costs will increase from $33,350 to $35,916, a 7.69 percent boost. The last tuition increase at UConn was about 6 percent for both in and out-of-state students, Gray said.
Olivier Bucyana, a 6th-semester political science major, said he understands that the university needs to increase tuition fees in order to cope with the struggling economy. Bucyana is an international student who moved to the United States from Rwanda seven years ago. He now lives in New York and pays out-of-state tuition.
"It's going to be tough, obviously, more loans and stuff, but it will be worth it," Bucyana said. "You need the education."
Jordan Kannon, a 6th-semester civil engineering major who pays in-state tuition, said he doesn't see any reason for cost increases.
"I don't see them building anything," he said. "I don't see classrooms improving, I just see [tuition] going up and that [administrators] know students who are here are stuck here and they'll have to pay it."
Financial aid packages offered by the university will remain unchanged, Gray said. As is current practice, 26 percent of tuition revenue will go to financial aid for students next year.
"When we raise tuition we always maintain our commitment to financial aid, both need-based and merit-based," Gray said. "We're not walking away from affordability at all."
The proposed tuition increases will be presented for approval at the Board of Trustees meeting at 1 p.m. on Feb. 10 in the Rome Commons Ballroom.
The increases are in response to decreased state support for UConn due to the current economic downturn, according to Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Richard Gray, who outlined the proposed tuition and fee increases at a sparsely attended open forum Friday afternoon. Gov. Rell's proposed budget, which she unveiled at the state capitol last Wednesday, calls for a 9.2 percent reduction in state funding to UConn for the next year and a 13.1 percent reduction for academic year 2011.
Although the governor has proposed a budget for the next two fiscal years, the university has only outlined tuition increases for academic year 2010 due to the rapidly changing nature of the economy.
"The kind of event we're looking at is an event that really has great uncertainty," Gray said.
The proposed tuition increases will raise the cost of tuition, room and board fees from the current $18,638 price tag for in-state students to $19,932, a 6.94 percent increase. For out-of-state students, costs will increase from $33,350 to $35,916, a 7.69 percent boost. The last tuition increase at UConn was about 6 percent for both in and out-of-state students, Gray said.
Olivier Bucyana, a 6th-semester political science major, said he understands that the university needs to increase tuition fees in order to cope with the struggling economy. Bucyana is an international student who moved to the United States from Rwanda seven years ago. He now lives in New York and pays out-of-state tuition.
"It's going to be tough, obviously, more loans and stuff, but it will be worth it," Bucyana said. "You need the education."
Jordan Kannon, a 6th-semester civil engineering major who pays in-state tuition, said he doesn't see any reason for cost increases.
"I don't see them building anything," he said. "I don't see classrooms improving, I just see [tuition] going up and that [administrators] know students who are here are stuck here and they'll have to pay it."
Financial aid packages offered by the university will remain unchanged, Gray said. As is current practice, 26 percent of tuition revenue will go to financial aid for students next year.
"When we raise tuition we always maintain our commitment to financial aid, both need-based and merit-based," Gray said. "We're not walking away from affordability at all."
The proposed tuition increases will be presented for approval at the Board of Trustees meeting at 1 p.m. on Feb. 10 in the Rome Commons Ballroom.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Jeff
posted 2/10/09 @ 9:57 AM EST
Actually Rell proposed only 5% reduction for UConn, not 9.2%. UConn asked for 5% more money from the state but state reduced its share by 5%. The state reduction is only 5% when compared to the last year. (Continued…)
Kevin
posted 2/11/09 @ 8:29 PM EST
so how do they explain tuition increases when we aren't in recession? Face it, they are increasing tuition every year, regardless of the economy. This is a time when they should be decreasing tuition. (Continued…)
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