As the
national economy declines, the nation’s universities are faced
with the problem of how to make ends meet while still accepting
more new students.
The result: The highest tuition hikes in more than a decade, even
as reduced state budgets force universities to cut their budgets.
According to figures released by The College Board,a national nonprofit
association, four-year public colleges and universities raised tuitions
and fees by an average of 9.6 percent for the current school year.
Room and board increased by 6 percent.
The average cost of attending college in America now totals $9,663,
up $672 from last year.
If such trends continue, attending college could become increasingly
difficult for lower- and middle-class Americans.
What about the tuition situation at Appalachian State University
and the rest of North Carolina?
The good news is the cost for a year of college at Appalachian for
a full-time, in-state student is estimated at $7,142 this year,
still far lower than the national average.
North Carolina’s public universities received only a 3 percent
budget cut this year, far lower than some states, where cuts ranged
as high as 15 percent.
Still, there may be trouble on the horizon.
Jane P. Helm, vice chancellor for Business Affairs, previously said
another cut in the spring was “quite likely.”
In North Carolina, the main rise in tuition has been through campus-based
increases, which each university can request individually.
Over the past four years, tuition at Appalachian and other schools
in the University of North Carolina system has risen approximately
10 percent due to such hikes. Last year, Appalachian’s tuition
rose $150 due to campus-based increases.
The state’s cuts may become larger in the future. North Carolina
used much “one-time” money to make ends meet in the budget—funds
that will not be available again. Without those reserves to fall
back on, the next cuts could be much larger and deeper.
Even with the relatively small cuts already in place, Appalachian
students have seen rising tuition and class sizes.
The university has already cut many part-time faculty positions,
making classes less available.
Costs for food, room and board have increased.
Belk Library has had to cut down on the amount of books it orders,
as well as canceling subscriptions to some academic journals.
If the current economic situation does not improve, Appalachian
students and their peers across North Carolina and the nation will
continue to encounter universities offering less services and increased
class sizes at higher prices.
Currently, college is still affordable for most Americans.
College Board officials reported 70 percent of students attend schools
where tuition and fees are still less than $8,000, but that situation
could change. More than 60 percent of bachelor’s degree recipients
currently graduate with student debts totaling more than $10,000.
The top Pell Grant, which 20 years ago covered 84 percent of college
costs, now only covers 42 percent. |
