Regents approve hike in tuition and fees for UA
Reporter: Claire Doan
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) – The Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) approved a hike in undergraduate tuition and fees at the University of Arizona Thursday afternoon, though lower than what President Robert Shelton originally requested as part of the university's plan.
The UA requested a $1,500 tuition increase for students at the main campus, but regents approved a financial aid rebate of $750 for all resident undergraduate students. The University's reserve funds from federal stimulus dollars will absorb a substantial portion of the funding lost from the state.
"We're doing the best we can with the hand we've been dealt. It's not very good. We responded to the Governor's proposition. We worked hard to comply with it and then the Legislature turned around and whacked us to another degree," said ABOR Chairwoman Anne Mariucci.
Universities in Arizona – the UA, Northern Arizona Univeristy (NAU) and Arizona State University (ASU) – are facing a total of $198 million in cuts, though Governor Jan Brewer's original plan only projected $170 million in cuts. The schools will absorb the cuts with spending reductions, efficiencies, fund balances. Since fiscal year 2008, per-student funding at the universities has been reduced by 50 percent.
"Our vote today is a reflection of our commitment to mitigate the financial impact of monumental state budget cuts on students and the hard-working families of Arizona struggling to pay for higher education," Mariucci said.
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