Spring Break
Texas legislature debating bill that would allow students to 'freeze' tuition
By: Heather Jennings
Issue date: 5/7/07 Section: News
Michael O'Quinn, A&M vice president for governmental affairs, said the Texas Legislature has not appropriated enough money to higher education to prevent tuition increases.
Higher education has received general revenue increases from the state, O'Quinn said. Since the 1990s, resources from the state have been largely stagnant, Pettibon said. During this same time period, A&M has tried to minimize tuition increases while improving quality.
In response to pressure from Texas universities, the legislature deregulated tuition in 2003. This gave universities the flexibility to increase tuition rates and meet resource demands without seeking approval from the legislature.
Pettibon said tuition increases are a last resort to increasing revenue.
Although tuition increases are looked upon as a last resort to meeting resource demands, A&M students have seen increases in tuition in the past four years. During the 2003-04 academic year, resident undergraduates paid $92 per semester credit hour. Now, students pay $145.70 per semester credit hour.
If Senate Bill 100 is approved, the practice of spreading tuition increases across all students would be limited to new students, Pettibon said. This means a $1 increase in tuition for all students would become more than a $5 increase in tuition for new students in order to raise the same amount of revenue.
If approved by the legislature and signed by the governor, Senate Bill 100 will take effect Sept. 1.
Higher education has received general revenue increases from the state, O'Quinn said. Since the 1990s, resources from the state have been largely stagnant, Pettibon said. During this same time period, A&M has tried to minimize tuition increases while improving quality.
In response to pressure from Texas universities, the legislature deregulated tuition in 2003. This gave universities the flexibility to increase tuition rates and meet resource demands without seeking approval from the legislature.
Pettibon said tuition increases are a last resort to increasing revenue.
Although tuition increases are looked upon as a last resort to meeting resource demands, A&M students have seen increases in tuition in the past four years. During the 2003-04 academic year, resident undergraduates paid $92 per semester credit hour. Now, students pay $145.70 per semester credit hour.
If Senate Bill 100 is approved, the practice of spreading tuition increases across all students would be limited to new students, Pettibon said. This means a $1 increase in tuition for all students would become more than a $5 increase in tuition for new students in order to raise the same amount of revenue.
If approved by the legislature and signed by the governor, Senate Bill 100 will take effect Sept. 1.
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