Spring Break
Tuition may increase up to 12%
By: Nicole Alvarado
Issue date: 1/29/09 Section: News
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"We're doing the best we can here and we need them [the legislature] to help by appropriate us funds," Murano said.
More than 30 students, faculty and staff members came to the hearing about the designated tuition plans for the 2009-2010 academic year. Student Body President Mark Gold gave a detailed description of last year's goals, an explanation of terminology and limitations, along with a breakdown of changes made in approval processes and fund appropriations since 2008.
"Tuition is comprised of two things," Murano said. "Designated tuition, which is set by the University, plus state-mandated tuition, which is set by the state of Texas. We are here to discuss the designated tuition because it's the only one we can change."
According to the presentation, the fiscal year 2010 budget needs will total $34.7 million, which would equate a $32.40 tuition increase per student credit hour for the fall 2009 semester. The biggest changes would fall in a retention program for faculty and staff and in the academic master plan implementation.
"In 2008, we identified that Texas A&M needed around $24.7 million to cover a variety of needs, which would raise the designated tuition by about $20 per credit hour," Murano said. "We ended up only raising it by $7.25, the lowest since tuition deregulation [in 2003.]"
She said the process of being able to lower the increase involved shaving from the operating funds and finding donors to cover scholarships. She then laid out the best-, worst- and likely-case scenarios for the fall 2009 semester, ranging from a 1.2 percent increase to a 12.9 percent increase. However, she admitted the worst-case scenario would be catastrophic.
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