by Matthew Albright
Bill aims to bring cost in line with southern average
Kristen Braud and Shawn Champagne, nursing seniors at Nicholls State University, study Monday on campus.
A bill in the Legislature would allow the state’s colleges and universities to increase tuition to the southern regional average, potentially costing Nicholls State University and Fletcher Technical Community College students some serious cash over the long haul.
House Bill 275, by Rep. John Schroder, R-Covington, is the latest effort by lawmakers to raise tuition to make up for cutbacks caused by a budget crunch. The bill is currently assigned to the House Education committee.
Louisiana students have historically paid significantly less in college tuition than their peers in the southern region, who in turn pay less than students elsewhere.
In 2010-11, the average annual tuition and fees in Louisiana was $4,435, according to the latest data from the Southern Regional Education Board, which tracks numerous education statistics. The southern regional average was $6,203; the national average was $6,537.
Local tuition is even lower. During that same period, tuition and fees at Nicholls cost $4,290 a year. That’s lower than the state average.
Since Shroeder’s bill wouldn’t take effect until next year, data isn’t available for how much the increase will cost students. But had the bill taken effect in 2010, a Nicholls student would have seen tuition jump from $4,290 to $6,203 —a 31 percent increase.
Local administrators say it’s unlikely that increase would happen all at once, especially since the bill would leave tuition authority to individual system boards.
read more: http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20120403/ARTICLES/120409893?Title=Tuition-Hike-
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Alternative to tuition hike in higher education is fiscal efficiency. I love University of California having been a student & lecturer. Like so many I am disappointed by Chancellor Birgeneau’s and Provost Breslauer’s failure to arrest escalating costs/tuition. Birgeneau doubled instate tuition. On an all-in cost UC Berkeley is the most expensive public university; more expensive than Harvard, Yale. Tuition consumes more than 14% of a median family income.
UC Berkeley ranked # 2 in faculty earning potential. Paying more is not a better university. Birgeneau/Breslauer dismissed: increasing the number of classes per faculty; eliminating courses with too few students; refraining from exorbitant salaries, bonuses; doubling the time between sabbaticals; freezing all vacant positions; freezing pay, benefits & reforming pensions, health costs. Birgeneau believes fiscal efficiency is not healthy for Cal. Exodus of faculty, chancellors, and administrators: who can afford them?
An American Enterprise Institute study found that UC Berkeley can operate well on much leaner budgets. Californians agree it is far from the ideal situation.
Recently, Chancellor Birgeneau’s campus police rammed baton jabs on Cal. students protesting Birgeneau’s doubling of tuition/fees. Chancellor Birgeneau resigned. The sky above Cal. will not fall when Provost Breslauer honorably resigns. Email opinions to the UC Board of Regents marsha.kelman@ucop.edu
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