Spring Break
Tuition spike follows economic downturn
Budget cuts, inflation force Board of Trustees to raise cost of attendence over five percent; students question appropriation of funds
Vivi Koutrakos
Issue date: 8/21/08 Section: News
USC undergraduate and graduate students faced a 5.9 percent tuition increase on July 1 after the 2008-2009 budget proposal was made public by the Board of Trustees executive committee.
In-state undergraduate students now pay an additional $492 in tuition and fees per year, increasing their tutition from $8,346 to $8,838 per year.
Non-residential tuition rose from $21,632 to $22,908 per year. The new tuition and fee increase cost non-residential undergraduate students $1,276.
Graduate students are also paying the 5.9 percent increase, with in-state graduate tuition totaling $9,836 a year, an increase of $548 from the 2007-2008 school year.
Non-residential graduate tuition increased by $1,156, totaling $20,736 per year.
The proposed tuition increase is a result of a $4.3 million state-funded budget cut and a rise in costs across the board encompassing inflation, insurance and utility increases plus a 1 percent state-mandated pay raise for all staff.
"We are in a period of inflation," said former President Andrew Sorensen. "There is a 2.68 percent decrease in state revenue on the Columbia campus. Our utility bill alone has increased by $1 million."
Sorensen said the Board of Trustees tried to be conservative with the increase.
"Although we are pleased that this budget will enable the university to maintain the quality that our students have come to expect in recent years, we are clearly mindful that even the smallest increases can work a hardship on students and their families," Sorensen said.
Rick Kelly, the vice president and chief financial officer for the university, said the Board of Trustees tried to look for cost-saving and creative solutions in the face of state funding cuts.
"Our leaders responded with a thoughtful budget process that responds to university needs and addresses strategic priorities," Kelly said.
The proposed tuition and activity fee increases are expected to generate approximately $11.5 million to fill the $4.3 million void and also to support the implementation of new university initiatives. These initiatives include law enforcement and safety fuel budget adjustments, student affairs and academic support programs and faculty excellence and global competitiveness initiatives to recruit new staff. The tuition increase will also help the university pay one-third of the state-mandated 1 percent pay raise for staff.
In-state undergraduate students now pay an additional $492 in tuition and fees per year, increasing their tutition from $8,346 to $8,838 per year.
Non-residential tuition rose from $21,632 to $22,908 per year. The new tuition and fee increase cost non-residential undergraduate students $1,276.
Graduate students are also paying the 5.9 percent increase, with in-state graduate tuition totaling $9,836 a year, an increase of $548 from the 2007-2008 school year.
Non-residential graduate tuition increased by $1,156, totaling $20,736 per year.
The proposed tuition increase is a result of a $4.3 million state-funded budget cut and a rise in costs across the board encompassing inflation, insurance and utility increases plus a 1 percent state-mandated pay raise for all staff.
"We are in a period of inflation," said former President Andrew Sorensen. "There is a 2.68 percent decrease in state revenue on the Columbia campus. Our utility bill alone has increased by $1 million."
Sorensen said the Board of Trustees tried to be conservative with the increase.
"Although we are pleased that this budget will enable the university to maintain the quality that our students have come to expect in recent years, we are clearly mindful that even the smallest increases can work a hardship on students and their families," Sorensen said.
Rick Kelly, the vice president and chief financial officer for the university, said the Board of Trustees tried to look for cost-saving and creative solutions in the face of state funding cuts.
"Our leaders responded with a thoughtful budget process that responds to university needs and addresses strategic priorities," Kelly said.
The proposed tuition and activity fee increases are expected to generate approximately $11.5 million to fill the $4.3 million void and also to support the implementation of new university initiatives. These initiatives include law enforcement and safety fuel budget adjustments, student affairs and academic support programs and faculty excellence and global competitiveness initiatives to recruit new staff. The tuition increase will also help the university pay one-third of the state-mandated 1 percent pay raise for staff.
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