Undergrad Tuition to Increase by 5.2 percent next year article

11/17/2006
Volume: 103
Number: 24
Undergrad tuition to increase by 5.2 percent next year
Lindsey Cook
NI News Writer
There is talk of the minimum wage increasing, and experts say that the cost of living is rising all over the country. Apparently, the University of Northern Iowa is jumping on that bandwagon with a $265 tuition increase for the next school year.

The increase, a rate of 5.2 percent for full-time, resident undergraduate students, which will raise current tuition to $5,351, will be voted on at the December Board of Regents meeting in Des Moines.

“The increase amount is related to inflation costs,” Jan Hanish, interim Vice President for Educational and Student Services, said. For the past few years, UNI students have had to face similar increases, with the reasoning being the higher cost of energy. This time, the reason being given is to maintain quality academic offerings and experiences for UNI students.

Hanish explains, “All the money is used as the main source of revenue for the university to pay for services for students.”

The 5.2 percent increase in tuition for all residents of Iowa will be affecting all three state universities. There will be increases in non-residential tuition as well. UNI and Iowa State will be seeing a 3.4 percent increase in non-residential tuition, and Iowa students will see an increase of 7 percent.

Students have surprisingly varied opinions on tuition increases.

A few students didn’t seem all too bothered by the rise. junior Matt Jones commented, “I already have loans out, what’s 5 percent more?”

“I don’t think it’s as bad as it has been or could be. I’d like to know where exactly the money is going though,” said senior Lucas Gray.

Hanish says that throughout the whole process, they have been working with students to try and keep tuition as low as possible.

“UNI has always had an open reputation to hear what students have to say,” Hanish said.

She suggests that those who want to have their voices heard on the issue should talk with their representatives in the student government.

The UNI Student Government is trying to stand on the student’s side when it comes to getting their voices heard at the Iowa State House.

Student Body President Grant Erwin believes that the proposed increase is as fair as UNI can get from the legislature.

“Just with the cost of energy alone going up tremendously, and funding from state legislature going down, we are doing all we can (to stop the rise in tuition), but there isn’t much more we can do,” Erwin said.

It doesn’t seem like much, but compared to the other two state universities in Iowa, cutting the little costs makes some difference.

We worked hard to decrease the student services fee,” Erwin said. “Total fees only went up 1.5 percent here, where ISU’s went up 4.5 percent, and Iowa’s went up 11.4 percent.”

The numbers say it all. This year, a student at one of the regents universities would have had to pay $6,079 in tuition and fees. In 2001, it was only $3,155.

“In the past six years, tuition and fees at the three state universities have gone up 92 percent. Gas prices haven’t even gone up that much,” Erwin said.

Most students are not happy with the proposed increase.

“I think it’s ridiculous how much it’s gone up over the last five years,” said senior Deena Coleman. “It doesn’t seem like we see the changes. When I started, it was a lot lower than it is now.”

Senior Rick Binkard agrees. “I don’t like the increase one bit. I go to register for classes and there aren’t enough. If they are going to raise tuition, it should go to opening more classes,” Binkard said.

Most of all, students feel there should be good reasoning behind the proposed tuition increase.

“They increase tuition every year, and they should have good reasoning,” senior Hanna Fenner said. “This is not a good reason, we don’t need the increase.”