While students can expect to pay an extra 12 percent for tuition next year, the administration is expecting a continued struggle to stay afloat in the face of nearly $5 million in unanticipated budget cuts.
University Senior Vice President and Provost John Moseley said the increase was calculated last year before the unexpected state cuts to higher education and Measure 30’s failure, which accounts for about $1 to $2 million of the cuts. Considering these new shortcomings, Moseley said the 12 percent is a modest increase.
“We really need to increase tuition more, but we’re holding the line,” he said.
The State Board of Higher Education will meet today to discuss the preliminary tuition proposals from Oregon University System campuses. The final decision for next year’s tuition increases will come in the next few months, however Moseley described the 12 percent hike as “highly likely.”
Moseley said his primary concerns are to maintain the quality of education and to ensure students have continued access to courses.
“I’m going to do everything I can to not cut courses,” he said.
ASUO co-Legislative Associate Ashley Rees said the student government is maintaining its stance against tuition increases, which she said should come as a last resort.
“We feel that it only makes sense that there are cuts to other programs and administrative things,” she said, adding that the ASUO is working to increase state budget appropriations to prevent future tuition hikes.
Moseley said the administration will be forced to put off needed purchases and hold off on future hiring to make ends meet. The current freeze on wages will continue through next year, which he said will make it difficult to attract faculty. He added that these are only short-term solutions, though, which means tuition could continue to rise in future years.
“We’re really not in a long-term sustainability situation,” he said. “If the Legislature doesn’t reinvest, we’ll be looking at more tuition increases.”
Moseley said the University will continue to phase out the “tuition plateau” system, in which full-time students are charged a flat tuition rate. The plateau was already reduced to 14 to 16 credits last term.
“I think ultimately it will be eliminated,” he said, adding that students on the plateau next year will pay $40 per credit hour instead of $20, which he said is still “quite a bargain.”
But Rees said eliminating the plateau will decrease access to higher education for low-income students who will need to take fewer credits to save money.
Oregon Student Association Executive Director John Wykoff said eliminating the plateau would mean students will take longer to graduate, which goes against State Board of Higher Education President Neil Goldschmidt’s goal for higher education to be “more, better, faster” and instead makes it “less, worse, slower.”
“The incentive is to take fewer credits, which means you’re in school longer,” he said.
He added that the University’s approach of narrowing the plateau is more progressive than other schools that are planning to eliminate the system completely sooner rather than later.
Ultimately, Wykoff said higher education needs more support from the state, which also means more support from voters.
“Everybody wants services, but they’re never going to be free,” he said.