UA President Ann Weaver Hart publicly released her 2016-2017 tuition proposal Friday to the Arizona Board of Regents. The proposal is now under review by the board.
Starting fall 2016, tuition prices will be higher for first-time undergraduate students, with a 3.2 percent increase for in-state tuition and a 7.2 percent increase for out-of-state.
Tuition hikes are also expected to rise for returning students who chose not to be a part of the tuition guarantee program. In-state undergraduates are expected to see a 2.8 percent rise, and out-of-state undergraduate tuition is planned to increase by 5.8 percent.
Further, undergraduate students are not the only ones that are planned to be hit with payment increases. Graduate students are also expected to pay up next year, according to the proposal.
For in-state graduate students, the proposal plans to increase tuition by 2.8 percent and for those from outside Arizona, the proposal plans to rise tuition by 5.8 percent.
The tuition proposal was created with “guidance” from the Never Settle plan, according to Hart’s memo that outlined the planned changes. Hart met with the presidents from both the Associated Students of the University of Arizona and the Graduate and Professional Student Council earlier this year, as well as the UA South student body president, to discuss the proposed changes.
While 78 percent of undergraduate students are currently enrolled in the tuition guarantee program and will see no change to annual university cost, the total amount of tuition revenue expected from the proposal is $2.6 million, according to the announcement.
Community Chatter: What do you think about the proposed tuition increases and how it affects students?
“I’m an international student, so it affects me even more than other students, even out-of-state. We already have to pay a lot of very ambiguous fees as an international student, so the tuition increase, I’m really unhappy about that. If they could be more specific about what they are going to put [the money] into and actually show progress, then sure.” – Alex Vu, a sophomore
“I’m from California and I’ve seen a lot of price hikes in the UC system. … I already feel like I pay so much more than in-state students do. I don’t really think it’s fair.” – Ashley Nguyen, a finance sophomore.
“I think it puts disadvantaged students at even more of a risk, for not being able to go to school.”
– Spencer Escobedo, a senior studying biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology.
“I don’t pay for my tuition, so it feels different, but I have a lot of friends who do and I know how much it stresses them out already. I think it’s just going to stress them out even more.” – Hannah Osofsky, a global studies sophomore.
“I definitely think that a lot of kids are going to decide to transfer schools. I definitely think that if you are going to school and getting an education, it shouldn’t be that price. It shouldn’t be that expensive.” – Ariel Aloush, an undeclared freshman.
“I think tuition raises are a big problem because a lot of people pay a lot of money to go to school and a lot of people take out loans. If you’re increasing that, then kids just have to pay after college. It puts a bigger toll on your parents. You’re coming here to get an education, not waste a lot of money.” – Ryan Shadman, a biology freshman.
Follow Lauren Renteria on Twitter.
