Officials at Texas A&M University-Commerce are proposing increase of $19 in designated tuition per semester credit hour effective Fall 2007.
Should we be surprised?
Facing funding declines, public institutions across the state have been forced to hike tuition to make up the difference. And with the passage of tuition deregulation in 2003 by the 78th Legislature, it gives the power to the schools to raise tuition as they see fit.
This means that tuition costs will likely go up one way or another each year. It should bother students when appointed Regents are calling the shots-not elected officials.
However, the blame can not fall squarely on the schools. They are businesses competiting for the best educators, students and facilities-and that takes money that the state just doesn’t cover.
So who is the proverbial whipping boy in all of this?
Our lawmakers in Austin of course.
Perhaps they should listen to some of their colleagues like state Sen. Florence Shapiro (R-Plano) who has proposed a bill that would let incoming freshmen lock tuition rates for four years, taking the model from the University of Dallas new program.
Or Sen. Rodney Ellis, (D-Houston), whose proposal would repeal tuition deregulation in 2010 unless lawmakers voted to keep it.
And not to be outdone, a bill by Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, (D-Mission), would set a three-year moratorium on tuition increases. After that, yearly increases would be set at 5 percent.
We should be thankful that even after the latest proposed tuition increases, A&M-Commerce would still be more affordable than most public institutions in the state.
But thanks to deregulated tuition, the definition of an affordable university is becoming more expensive to us every year.