Tuition Hiked 14%

Tuition at the University of South Alabama will rise 14 percent in the fall semester. University President Gordon Moulton cited a decrease in state funding and an increase in “uncontrollable costs” as reasons for the tuition hike. The move was approved at the June 10 USA Board of Trustees meeting.

“A tuition increase is always painful,” Moulton said. “We don’t take it lightly, but we also have a strong responsibility to maintain the quality of University programs.”

The Alabama Legislature’s latest education budget reduces USA’s state funding by $40 million from three years ago, a 29 percent decrease. In the same time frame, the University has incurred more than $23 million in “uncontrollable costs,” including increases in employee retirement contributions, health insurance premiums, and utilities costs.

“While funding is going down, our financial commitments are increasing,” Moulton said. “We have to have a tuition increase to make up for the shortfall. … I think it’s sad that we’re having to do it.”

An in-state undergraduate will now pay $227 per credit hour. (In-state undergraduates paid $162 per credit hour during the 2009-2010 academic year, but the new rate is also inflated by a restructuring of fees. See story, page 5.)

That brings the new rate for a 30-hour yearly load to $6,810. That’s $848 more than last year’s rate, when fees are factored in.

According to University documents, tuition and fees have increased an average of 8.6 percent annually over the past five years.

Student Government Association President Kim Proctor said she had discussions with Moulton and other University officials to find out if this increase was “absolutely necessary.” She said she came to the conclusion that the increase is “something that has to happen.”

“I would like to thank the administrators who worked to keep our tuition low and who really have the students’ interests at heart,” Proctor said. “We definitely live in a Wal-Mart-driven society where everyone wants to pay less and get more, so I don’t think anyone will welcome the tuition increase. That being said, students understand that it’s necessary for our institution to thrive, grow, and sustain our programs.”

Moulton pointed out that this “historic recession” has caused many of the state institutions to take similar actions. The University of Alabama recently approved a 12.9 percent tuition increase, while Auburn University approved a 13.3 percent increase. Alabama A&M University (23 percent), Troy University (19.4 percent), and the University of Montevallo (10.5 percent) are among the other state institutions to institute double-digit increases.

“This issue has been studied extensively by the administration,” Board member Ken Simon said. “They have consulted with the students and with the University community in general. From a student’s perspective, it seems to be reasonable, necessary, and affordable. It’s consistent with what is occurring in the higher education community in the state of Alabama.”

Moulton pointed out that USA’s tuition remains about 10 percent less than the average state institution in Alabama.

“While [14 percent] is a substantial increase, it does not put the University at a market disadvantage since we’ve planned for years to try to remain below our state competitors,” Moulton said.

Moulton said he hopes state funding to the University will increase in order to avoid more tuition increases in the near future.

“One of the worst things we can do with tuition increases getting so much publicity is to scare students away from going to college,” Moulton said. “Getting an education is still a very sound investment.”