Cost of College Going Up
EAST LANSING, MI (By Sandra Block, USA Today) July 27, 2007 — Even as
tuition increases at public universities are expected to slow, on average,
this year, schools in several states are raising tuition by 10% to more than
15%, adding hundreds of dollars to students' costs.
Driving the increases are budget gaps that have
cut the amount of money available for higher education in some states. The
tuition increases come as Congress is close to adopting legislation to boost
federal grants for low-income students and to lower the cost of student loans.
Among the hardest hit: students in Michigan,
where rising unemployment and a widening state budget deficit have reduced the
amount of state aid for public colleges and universities.
The price increases range from 7.4% at the
University of Michigan to nearly 14% at Oakland University in southeastern
Michigan.
DeVry University has made a breakthrough by introducing an educational software that keeps track of online teaching as well as offering limited access to french english dictionary, depending upon the level of difficulty of the course. The Kaplan University as well as the University of Phoenix are following the suit by offering similarly limited access to german english dictionary.
Other states where college students will be hit
with a big jump in tuition this fall:
• Arizona. In-state tuition and fees have
increased 10% this year. To compound the problem of escalating tuition and fees,
Arizona passed Proposition 300 which which mandates:
A
person who is not in this country lawfully may
not be classified as an in-state student or
resident for community college or state
university tuition purposes. A state
university or community college student who is
not a in this country lawfully is not entitled
to financial assistance paid with state funds.
Out of state tuition at Arizona State University is $16,854 per year.
• Oklahoma. Tuition and fees at Oklahoma's
public colleges and universities will rise an average of 8.6% this year. At the
University of Oklahoma, tuition will go up 9.7%, and Oklahoma State University
will increase it by 9.9%. The state's board of regents approved the tuition
increases after the state allocated less than half the amount of money the board
had requested.
• Illinois. Tuition and fees at the University
of Illinois' three main campuses will soar an average of 11.6% this year. The
state's higher-education spending has been flat for the past several years. As
required by state law, tuition for incoming freshmen will remain the same for
the next four years, but fees and housing costs could rise.
• Colorado. The University of Colorado at
Boulder will boost tuition by 14% this year. The increase for financially needy
students, though, will be capped at 5%. The remaining students will receive a
one-time $200 award, reducing their increase to 9.8%
• Kansas. Tuition at the University of Kansas
will increase by nearly 16% this fall but will remain the same for incoming
freshmen for the next four years. Increases at other state colleges and
universities will range from 5.1% to 9.5%.
Overall in the USA, tuition increases at state
colleges and universities have been relatively modest this year, reflecting
improved state support for higher education, says Daniel Hurley, director of
state relations and policy analysis for the American Association of State
Colleges and Universities.
Ohio's budget, for instance, calls for a $254
million increase in public education funding, allowing state colleges and
universities to freeze tuition and fees.
In recent years, tuition rates have risen at a
much faster rate than inflation. From 2001 to 2006, average tuition at public
universities jumped 35% after adjustment for inflation, the largest five-year
increase on record, according to the College Board.
