Regents approve 5% tuition increase

The Arizona Board of Regents set base tuition for 2007-08 that is lower than the request from the university presidents but higher than an alternate tuition proposal from students.

The regents voted Thursday to increase tuition by 5 percent for resident undergraduate and graduate students at Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University and the University of Arizona. NAU President John Haeger had sought a 7 percent increase, with 5 percent proposed for NAU statewide and Yuma campuses.

"We appreciate the effort of the Board of Regents, and now we need to move forward to work with the Legislature and the governor's office on a state budget for the university," Haeger said.

For resident undergraduate students on the Flagstaff campus, annual tuition will go up $219 for a total of $4,594, beginning in fall 2007. Tuition for resident undergraduate students at NAU's statewide and Yuma campuses will increase by $215 for a total of $4,506.

Tuition for resident graduate students will increase by $236 for a total of $4,963 at all NAU campuses.

The tuition vote followed a lengthy discussion about a proposal by the Arizona Students Association, which represents students at the state universities. The ASA plan called for a 2.3 percent tuition increase for resident undergraduate and graduate students. The tuition rate, however, would be contingent upon the Legislature funding the university system at 12 percent above the 2006-07 general fund appropriations, with no one university receiving less than an 8 percent increase. If state funding fell short of that, the students would pay the higher tuition increases originally proposed by each university president.

Some regents supported the plan as a commendable risk by students to encourage more funding from the Legislature, while others felt it would result in the Legislature effectively setting tuition and also would strain relations with the Legislature.

"I applaud the students for what they've done and how they've done it," said Regent Fred Boice. But Boice said he couldn't support the ASA plan because it would mean the regents would abdicate their tuition-setting responsibility. He also expressed concerns about how tuition dollars might then be designated by the Legislature and that the ASA plan would result in less revenue for the university system. Boice further cautioned that projected state revenues might be less than anticipated.

Regent Dennis DeConcini, one of four regents who voted for the ASA plan, said students were willing to take the risk of paying tuition increases of greater than 5 percent. "This is not students against the presidents or students against the board," DeConcini said, noting it was an effort by the students to encourage the same level of support from the Legislature as provided last year.

The Board of Regents also approved Haeger's proposal of a 7 percent increase for nonresident undergraduate and graduate students. Nonresident undergraduates will pay another $932 for an annual tuition of $14,248, and nonresident graduate students will pay an additional $958 for an annual tuition of $14,645.

The regents' vote to increase tuition by 5 percent for resident students also includes wording that seeks a commitment from the Legislature and governor's office to support a request for an incremental contribution to the Arizona Financial Aid Trust, over the $2.9 million already requested in the fiscal year 2008 budget request. That amount would offset the difference in revenue generated by the 5 percent tuition increase from the university presidents' tuition increase recommendations.

The regents voted to table a decision on mandatory fees until its January meeting. Haeger has proposed increasing the current information technology fee by $1 to $3 per credit hour for all students to upgrade the university's computer network infrastructure, including expanding the wireless network throughout campus. He also proposed a $25 per semester student activity fee for Flagstaff campus students to develop various programs and activities suggested by students.

In other action, the board approved limited adjustments in certain NAU course fees to cover actual expenses for expendable materials and travel.

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