Tuition increase hearings planned

Officials at Texas A&M University-Commerce are inviting students, faculty and staff to attend one of three scheduled public hearings discussing a proposed increase in designated tuition for the following academic year.

The increase could be as high as $3.71 per semester credit hour, depending on approval by the Texas A&M System Board of Regents.

"We think there's a possibility we won't even increase the tuition at all," Assistant Vice President & Director of Budgeting and Financial Analysis, Alicia Currin said.

The three public hearings will take place Feb. 2 at 2 p.m. in the Pride Room at the Sam Rayburn Student Center (SRSC), Feb. 3 at 9 a.m. in the Traditions Room at the SRSC and Feb. 3 at 6:15 p.m. at the Metroplex Center in Mesquite.

The hearings will consist of a PowerPoint presentation outlining cost of living expenses and A&M-Commerce's prices compared to the competition. Attendees will also hear what the money would be used for if there should be an increase.

According to Deborah Wheat, administrative assistant to the vice president for business & administration, A&M-Commerce has a below average designated tuition when compared to other Texas public universities at a current $94 per semester credit hour.

There will not be voting at the hearings, but the budget review and development council will consider feedback. The council will then make a recommendation to President Dr. Dan Jones, who in turn will submit a recommendation in March to the Board of Regents. The A&M System will have final approval in May.

"We've expanded the number of public hearings," Currin said. "There's usually not a large attendance at the hearings, but we do think it's important that we let you know and open it up for questions."

The university held similar public hearings last year, which resulted in a $10 per semester credit hour increase.

Students can expect a separate $10 per credit hour increase up to 13 hours after voting in favor of the athletic referendum, pending approval by the A&M System. The athletic fee, which was proposed and passed by the Student Government Association last October, will be money that goes straight to the athletic department.

Senior animal science/pre-veterinarian major Courtney Conley said she would love for tuition to go down, but as a former member of the A&M-Commerce track team, she said she sees the benefits of increasing tuition even after the athletic referendum passed.

"When you're running track or doing any other sport, it's like having a job and going to school full time," Conley said, "So they're giving more money to the athletes, so they don't have to choose between working, school and sports."

A&M-Commerce is also expecting some additional funds to come in due to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Awards (ARRA).

According to Jones, A&M-Commerce will use $1 million in stimulus money as start-up funds for a Bachelor of Science construction-engineering program.

Just over $1.3 million will go to utilities for both education and general buildings and about $800 thousand in incentive funds will go mainly to scholarships for students, according to Currin.

Some students recognize the university is receiving stimulus money, and they have different ideas about how that money can be used.

"Tuition is already outrageous," junior English education major, Darlene Seeley, said. "All this extra money that we're getting from the federal government should go to the general student body instead of being for specific programs."