University students, as well as students throughout the Oregon University System, can expect to pay more in tuition if Measure 28 fails later this month.
Administration officials plan to institute a 13 percent tuition increase at the University for winter and spring terms to fill a $6.5 million shortfall left by inadequate state funding. In order to offset the budget gap while maintaining comparable class options, the University will charge an extra $10 per credit hour and $15 per credit hour for law classes.
The University has already trimmed $7 million from its budget this year.
“We don’t want to reduce opportunities for students, and we don’t want to dilute the quality of education we provide,” Associate Vice President for Enrollment Services Jim Buch said. “We’ve done just about as much trimming and cutting as we can.”
Overall, higher education in Oregon will see a total cut of $26.9 million if Measure 28 fails. Funding from the surcharge would generate $4 million for the University, leaving about a $2 million discrepancy, which mostly stems from legislative cuts made in December.
Student leaders have had a say in the decision making process, recommending the surcharge over class cuts at a meeting with administration officials in September.
“Nobody is happy about the choices, but the clear voice of students was not to reduce course offerings,” Buch said.
But Oregon Student Association Executive Director Alisa Simmons said cutting classes and increasing tuition are both travesties, and when coupled with reductions in the Oregon Opportunity Grant and the child care block grant, tuition surcharges would force some students out of school.
“We have skyrocketing tuition increases and extremely low aid,” she said. “It’s an enormous burden on students.”
Buch acknowledged that enrollment reduction could result from the tuition surcharge, but he said the administration hopes that is not the case.
To help avoid forced drop-outs, the University has committed $500,000 in financial aid to help soften the blow for about 2,200 of the neediest students.
“We certainly know that students are already stretched,” he said.
If Measure 28 passes, the income tax rates for single and joint filings would increase to 9.5 percent from 9 percent. Corporate income tax rates would increase to 6.93 percent from 6.6 percent.
In an open letter to students, Senior Vice President and Provost John Moseley explained why the surcharge may be necessary but was optimistic about maintaining the same quality of education.
“Even if the surcharge is imposed, we are confident that (the University) will continue to be, as it has been designated by the ‘Fiske Guide to Higher Education’ for the past five years, a ‘best buy’ in higher education, in terms of quality and value for the price,” he said.