Posted on 12/07/2006 11:24:54 AM PST by RonaldReaganFellow
Over the past five years, tuition at Arizonas three public universities has increased roughly 13.5 percent. The average tuition per student is now about $4,600 a year. The tuition increases have lead to complaints and even lawsuits from students. Thats because Arizonas constitution states higher education should be as nearly free as possible.
Unfortunately, theres no such thing as a tuition fairy. Appropriated and non-appropriated university spending in Arizona averaged $3.1 billion in FY 2007. Thats over $23,700 for each full time student, a 17 percent increase since 2000 (adjusted for inflation). Taxpayers picked up the bulk of the tab. Meanwhile, theres little evidence Arizonas public university system has improved an equivalent 17 percent.
It is not unreasonable for students to help pay for an education of which they will be the primary beneficiaries. When taxpayers contribute the majority of funding, university officials have little incentive to reduce expenses. Instead of scaling back on unnecessary expenditures and focusing resources on whats important to students, university officials simply ask for more money. Thats bad news for taxpayers and students alike.
Rather than requiring more of taxpayers, policymakers should address the real problemthe paradoxical constitutional requirement that higher education be nearly free. Any college graduate should know there is no such thing as a free lunch.
Arwynn Mattix is a research assistant at the Goldwater Institute.
The excuse for continuously increasing college prices is eerily reminiscent of pro sports. We have to increase wages to stay "competitive". In any other industry this would be called insanity.
I wouldn't mind the high ticket price of going to college if decent faculty was hired. My daughter attends Fordham in NYC. She will probably finish paying off her school loans in 2020. At close to $600 per credit hour, she has a bottom-of-the barrel chemistry professor who spends her time ferrying back and forth to Canada to settle visa problems and gives tests on material not covered in class. When she does teach, she sucks.
She's just one of many dismal offerings.
Universities seem to have a pretty carefree attitude when it comes to spending, like a lot of government agencies. Why worry about cost when you are spending money from a bottomless pot. They are wrong of course, but they still won't be the ones to pay for the fix.
Why are Saudi students so eagerly recruited?
Because they pay the full, out of state tuition amounts, no questions asked.
Oh gosh. . I had to laugh when I read this! All I can think is that *I* want a tuition fairy! I'm a 34 year old mom of twins with a husband who has a successful career. I'm eligible for no scholarships and my student loans are not subsidized. I get around $5K a semester to cover tuition and books. Asking most families of four to come up with an additional $10K a year is tough. According to the gov't, I should contribute $30K a year to my education (but I'm not really sure *what* that includes):
Anyway -- my tuition statement for Fall is as follows:
Date Posted Item Description Amount
10/24/2006 Publications Fee 20.00 USD
10/24/2006 Student Union Fee 45.00
10/24/2006 Medical Service Fee 66.85
10/24/2006 Communication Disorders 11.67
10/24/2006 Recreational Facility Fee 78.00
10/24/2006 International Education Fee 4.00
10/24/2006 Spec Serv Fee- Acad Assistant 2.50
11/03/2006 Library Use Fee 247.50
11/03/2006 Tuition Resident 750.00
11/03/2006 Technology Use Fee 195.00
11/03/2006 Transportation Fee 52.50
11/03/2006 Student Service Fee 210.00
11/03/2006 Student Advising Fee 48.75
11/03/2006 Clinical Practicum Svc. Fee 80.00
11/03/2006 UNT Board Designated Tuition 1,357.50
Grand Total is $3075.10.
I'm a Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Major taking 15 hours. I have yet to go into the library in my three semesters back at school (and I have a 3.87 LOL -- but I'm paying $247.50 a semester for it), I have private medical insurance and would not set foot in that clinic on campus unless it was urgent and I was already ON campus (but I have to pay a $66.85 fee for something I pay for outside of school) . . . the rec facility that I pay $78 a semester for is not open at times that I can use it.
Further, in addition to the transportation fee, we have to pay for parking passes (around $90/semester above and beyond this statement). The bus system on campus *is* good, but all of my classes are in one building. I park next to it. I don't use the buses, but I pay for that privilege too. *boggles*
Now, I am okay with the Technology Use fee -- I use the wireless on campus, have a campus email, and they have fully decked out classrooms as far as technology goes. That's a positive. The Clinical Practicum fee is legit too -- I'm in a Practicum and it deals with the supervisory fees, certification etc. etc.
I have no idea WHAT the International Education Fee is though.
But yeah. School prices suck. I feel pretty confident that UNT spends a lot of its money pretty decently. It's a nice campus, but not exorbitant. It's aging and they are upgrading as they can. It's cost wise pretty typical for a four year publc university here.
Next Fall they are going to flat tuition rates. for 12, 15 or 18 hours you will be charged the rate that 15 hours costs. Essentially you're penalized at 12, rewarded at 18. At least that's how I understand it. Less than 12 (which would cover your part time students) pay as they do now (or similar rates). They are also reducing to 120 from 128 (per the Texas Legislature) the number of hours required to graduate.
That being said, I'll be eligible to graduate in May, but I'm graduating in August. So the flat rate thing is irrelevant to me. And I'll graduate with something like 148 hours.
Oh, and I should finish my MS/PhD around the time my twins start college. *laugh*
We have free college tuition in Florida, but it's merit based...and can be used at state universities. It's called Bright Futures Scholarship (is financed by the lottery) and is based on SAT/ACT scores.
http://www.firn.edu/doe/brfutures/
I wish that State U cost only $4000 a year where I live. Here in MD it's $19000. And not just anybody can get in; either you have to be a foreign national or an American who has fantastic grades and SAT scores. My kid is a very bright, talented, focused young woman with athletic skills and sterling recommendations from everybody ranging from her JrROTC colonel to her athletic coach to various teachers and counsellors to her employers. She has a remarkable record for volunteering and a broad range of unusual accomplishments. She applied to the university with a B+ average and good SAT scores, and got turned down.
The result is that she's now at a private college that's far more expensive. She's going to be paying off those loans until she's old and gray. People in Arizona don't know how good they have it with their university.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.