Indiana University Southeast proposed to raise its tuition for the next two years by 2.3 percent, but with repair and maintenance fees, the hike is closer to 3.3 percent. The IU Board of Trustees will vote on the proposal on May 31.
Dana Wavle, vice chancellor for administrative affairs at the university, said decreased funding from the state appropriation caused some problems for the university for the last biennium.
But with another cut for the next two years, he said the total impact for the university was about $1.7 million.
“It’s really an impossible situation,” Wavle said. “We have growing facility needs and we still have to make sure we’re providing a safe and conducive learning environment for our students.”
He said the added repair and replacement funds students will see on their tuition bills for 2012 will be $60. For 2013, that cost is doubled.
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education proposed universities in the state raise their tuition by 2.5 percent. After the addition of the repair and replacement fees, IUS’ increase exceeds that.
Wavle said the increase will affect all students at the university, not just incoming freshmen. Students who have already started at the university are not locked into the tuition rate they paid before.
Josh Kornberg, the president of IUS’ Student Government Association, said as a student, he’s not frustrated with IUS, but with the powers that be.
“They took such a large chunk out of IU’s funding, that really comes back down to the student,” Kornberg said. “IUS works out of necessity with what the general assembly gives.”
He said if students are more concerned with the amount of the tuition hike, they should take more issue with state legislators.
“If people want to see things change, it’s not going to come through calling the school, it will come from calling our congressmen and women and let them know what we think about setting aside money for higher education,” Kornberg said.
Wavle said passing the extra money on to students was a necessary move for the school. He said making sure heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems and other facility and infrastructure needs are met is necessary.
“It’s a lot like having a car and choosing not to do any maintenance on it,” Wavle said. “How long could you drive that car? The corollary is we really need to invest back into our facilities.”
He said a 2005 study showed the school’s facility costs were about $27 million. He said since then, the costs can only have gone up.
“I think we’ve done [the increase] in a way where students will receive a quality education here at IU Southeast,” Wavle said. “We have to reinvest back into our facilities.”
Kornberg said he thinks students will mostly understand the increase, but seeing additional charges on their bills won’t make them happy.
He said non-traditional students might take the hit harder since they have additional responsibilities.
“We have a huge percentage of non-traditional students who are working to support families, and as they raise the rates, I wonder that will do to the retention and overall enrollment of our institution.”
Wavle said there’s a possibility that if the state allocates more money to higher education after the next biennium, the cost would no longer be passed onto the students. Until then, they have to supplement the budget.
“It’s only going to get more expensive in the long run,” Wavle said. “We have to take good care of the facilities that have been funded by student and taxpayer dollars. I think we can manage the costs if we take care of it today. I think it’s a good, thoughtful, prudent plan.”
Kornberg said he's confident in the administration at the school, even if he's going to be one of the students to take a hit.
“I think IUS does a good job of remaining fiscally conservative and running within it’s budget, but I would look at our state legislators and the cuts they’re making to our funding.”
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