Thursday, March 28, 2024

End of the road

Tuition guarantee has outlived its usefulness

MSU’s tuition guarantee was originally a good idea, but considering the continuing lack of state funding, an increase in tuition rates has become necessary.

The guarantee, in place since 1994, has kept tuition and on-campus housing cost increases at or below the projected rate of inflation. Now university officials are worried they might have to break the guarantee.

When it was instituted seven years ago, the prospects of closing the funding gap between Michigan research universities were much better.

Wayne State University and the University of Michigan both receive more funding than MSU. University officials have been pushing the state Legislature for several years to decrease the gap.

With an economy on the downturn, Gov. John Engler is recommending that funding to Michigan’s 15 public universities not be increased, while the state House is recommending a 7 percent increase.

Increases in MSU’s tuition average 2.8 percent, lower than the 4.6 percent average for all Michigan four-year public universities and 5.2 percent for the 11 Big Ten universities over the last seven years.

With little funding increases projected for MSU, administrators are stuck between a rock and a hard place. It is admirable they have been able to maintain tuition increases below the rate of inflation, but the state is making it difficult for this to continue.

Engler’s recommendation is forcing university officials into a very difficult position. MSU President M. Peter McPherson said the administration will do its best to keep the guarantee despite expectations of lowered funding.

It is admirable the administration is trying to keep costs down, but it is also understandable if it is forced to abandon the guarantee.

Six years ago, the tuition guarantee was a great idea. At the time, a decrease in the funding gap seemed possible. Hopes of immediately eliminating the gap now appear dim.

Because of an increase in applications in recent years, MSU has been able to tighten admission requirements and improve academic standards.

Dealing with a tighter budget makes supporting those standards very difficult. Less money means less professors teaching classes and more teaching assistants. If MSU is unable to offer salary raises to professors, it is unlikely that experienced educators will be attracted to teaching positions. Currently, professors at MSU earn an average of $85,200, behind Wayne State at $87,200 and U-M at $105,200.

A tuition increase will hurt students’ wallets, but may be in their best interests, provided the money goes to improve conditions for them.

With the current demand for college education sweeping the nation, MSU doesn’t need to worry about its own economics when considering tuition increases. Still, it must be kept in mind that higher prices may change the economic backgrounds of incoming students.

As long as the money from a tuition increase benefits students, the benefits outweigh the costs. Students should expect the best from their university; from research opportunities to experienced faculty.

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