Students struggle as tuition is increased to maintain budget

Students might have to shell out more cash for tuition this year after the MSU Board of Trustees decided in June to increase rates by almost $600 for the year to fit with the approved 2009-10 budget.

The board agreed on tuition increases for 2009-10 as well as 2010-11. For 2009-10, tuition for in-state undergraduates will increase 5.2 percent, and in 2010-11, students could see a 4.9 percent increase, according to the university’s budget guidelines approved at the board’s June 19 meeting.

“We did the two year tuition increase because it provides earlier planning for the students and the family,” MSU Trustee Faylene Owen said.

An in-state undergraduate student taking 15 credits would experience a tuition increase of about $540 per year, totaling $10,800 in 2009-10.

“I think that when you look at tuition, you have to look at all aspects of the budget,” MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said. “We have tried to reduce our expenditures in the budget so the burden isn’t all on the students. … Nobody likes tuition.”

Also approved was the university’s general fund of $981.8 million, up $41 million from 2008-09.

State appropriations proposed by the state Legislature are anticipated to decrease about 3.1 percent, or $9.1 million, for MSU in this 2009-10 year, partially leading to the increase in tuition.

“We still, to this day, get insufficient support from the state of Michigan, and unfortunately that means … more burden is carried by the students,” Owen said.

More support from the state is necessary even if MSU is trying to save more money in difficult economic times, Simon said.

“Even though we conserve, it’s hard to offset the fact that the state hasn’t been giving us money,” she said.

Although most areas of the state budget are experiencing harsh cuts, higher education will be “held harmless,” said Megan Brown, a spokeswoman for Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

“Gov. Granholm believes higher education is critical to our state’s future,” she said. “She intends to offset any shortfall in funding or higher education this (fiscal year 2010) with federal recovery funds.”

The state must approve its 2010 budget by Oct. 1. If the state gives MSU more money than expected, Simon and the board can grant a refund to students. If the state gives MSU less money than expected, the board also can institute a mid-year tuition increase.

Nursing junior Maureen Clark said financial aid will alleviate problems she might have with paying increased tuition rates, but high tuition still will be an issue.

“I’m never going to be rich, so it’s going to be harder to pay back,” she said.

Clark said the quality of her education makes paying more for tuition worthwhile.

“I’m going to be getting a good education,” she said. “I don’t mind paying a little bit more for that.”

In addition to raising tuition rates, financial aid also was increased by 30 percent, with a 17 percent increase in 2009-10 and 13 percent in 2010-11. This would increase the amount of financial aid available this school year to about $82.6 million.

MSU Trustee Joel Ferguson said although financial aid increases might help a number of students, more state funding is needed to provide a quality education.

“We need so many dollars to run the university to give (students) the education they deserve,” he said.

Quality can come at a cost to students, Owen said.

“We want to give (students) the finest education that we can possibly give them and MSU is always going to be a great institution,” she said. “Unfortunately, it’s expensive to be one of the best.”