By Dennis O’Neil
University of Louisville President Dr. James R. Ramsey announced a possible nine percent tuition increase at a tuition forum in Floyd Theater of the Student Activities Center today.
According to Ramsey, the nine percent hike is due in large part to Gov. Steve Beshear’s proposed three percent cut to higher education funding, which will result in 10 million less dollars for the university. The hike will amount to $312 more for an undergraduate student per semester.
According to Vice President for Communications and Marketing John Drees, these hikes will be discussed in greater length at the May meeting of the Board of Trustees and must be approved by the Council on Post Secondary Education.
Ramsey announced other changes that may be made within the university’s budget. He said that all programs, both academic and non-academic, will take an additional two percent funding cut.
Ramsey expressed concern about the loss of adequate state support.
“When the state says ‘we know what you need and we’re not going to fund you,’ the situation is hard,” Ramsey said. “We are trying to look at everything we are doing financially, but we have to keep moving forward.”
The tuition forum was the second of three to be held, with the final being held on Thursday in HSC Auditorium on the Health Sciences Campus at noon. Today’s forum saw a mixture of university administrators, students, faculty, and others in attendance, as Ramsey opened up with a PowerPoint presentation regarding the budget situation, and then fielded questions from those in attendance.
Some students in attendance treated the extra $300 in tuition as a great weight. One student asked “what options would you offer a student who simply can’t come up with another $300 in order to pay tuition?”
According to Ramsey and Provost Dr. Shirley Willihnganz, U of L is trying to maximize its resources in order to keep students returning. Willihnganz posited the example of a fund the university leaves open for scholarship students whose aid is not set up for escalating tuition costs.
According to Financial Aid Director Patricia Arauz, a scholarship student must apply for this fund through the FAFSA office by May and can get up to $1,200 dollars in aid if their application is approved. Arauz said the university has offered this program since the 2003-2004 school year.
“We have over one and a quarter million dollars in the fund, and we have thousands of students who apply for money,” Arauz said. “We really try to help those of a middle income background.”
Others in the audience expressed concern about the university’s dependence on the state, such as Student Government Association President Brian Hoffman, who asked Ramsey “at what point do we tell the state that we are no longer going to accomplish these goals they set for us on the backs of students with double digit tuition increases?”
In response, Ramsey said that greater student involvement in state politics would make a significant difference.
“Politicians hear a lot from taxpayers, but they don’t hear a lot from students, at least not enough to influence their next election,” Ramsey said.
SGA Services Vice President Rudy Spencer also expressed concern in this area, stating that he was disappointed by the low student turnout for the forum.
About 50 were in attendance, but many were faculty and staff members at U of L.
“It’s very disappointing, especially when you consider how many students attended the walkout,” Spencer said. “It’s already April, and this is one of the last times we are going to have any voice in this process.”
