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Tuition at Work
Lyndsey Espinoza can already see the difference tuition increases have made at The University of Texas at San Antonio.
“I see a lot more variety in our classes — especially with the core curriculum,” said Ms. Espinoza, a junior civil
engineering major. “We have a new dean in engineering and we’ve been hiring more faculty — and quality faculty.
“Lots of my professors have better office hours. I can go in and sit with the professors and talk to them about my classes.”
Like other UT academic campuses, UTSA spent much of its recent tuition increases on hiring new faculty members. With
a rapidly growing student body, the 35-year-old campus wanted to lower its student-faculty ratio to preserve
its educational standards.
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Tuition increases at UTSA help improve student life |
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At UT Austin, public affairs director Robin Gerrow reported tuition increases were used to hire new faculty members, as well as for faculty retention and laboratory renovations.
Wendy White Polk, The University of Texas El Paso’s director of university communications, cited faculty recruitment and retention, as well as improved course availability through expanded class offerings and more off-hour classes, as being some of the improvements her campus has been able to offer because of tuition increases. In addition, she said, UTEP plans to make its entire campus wireless by the end of the academic year and has begun a three-year program to replace computers in student laboratories.
“We’re using tuition dollars in a number of ways at UT Dallas,” said Jon T. Senderling, executive director of university information and publications. “We’re hiring new faculty members, continuing to assist UTD’s School of Management in its rise to international distinction, and developing innovative programs in such areas as geospatial information systems, arts and technology and public affairs — to name just a few.”
Each UT campus has developed a plan that involves consulting with students and other groups before new tuition rates can be recommended. These consultations vary from campus to campus, but usually involve tuition advisory committees, open forums and surveys to consider budget and enrollment forecasts, faculty requirements, repair and renovations, and financial aid.
At UTSA, Lyndsey Espinoza is a member of that campus’ tuition and fees committee, which meets weekly. The group met early in November to talk about proposed tuition and fee increases of 9.7 percent for the fall of 2006 and 7.78% for fall 2007. The 13 students on the committee are as diverse a group as possible — including graduate and undergraduate, traditional and nontraditional, main and downtown campus — and represent each of the university’s colleges. Although UTSA staff and administrators meet with the committee, they have ex-officio status and do not vote.
Gathered around tables at the lunchtime meeting, UTSA administrators presented the proposed changes to the students, who asked questions about how the increases would be used. Rises in tuition costs are of particular concern at UTSA, where 70 percent of its 26,200 students receive financial aid.
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UTSA students study in the Sombrilla plaza |
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“This is a bare bones budget,” said Kerry Kennedy, UTSA vice president for business affairs. “In some ways, we’re better off with our infrastructure than a lot of campuses because we’re only 35 years old. But we want to continue to work on our student-faculty ratio. It’s gotten better, but it needs to be lower.”
“We don’t want to raise tuition too much,” said Rosalie Ambrosino, vice president for student affairs. “But the quality of education we provide is important. We want our students to do well.”
The committee agreed it would meet again before voting on the proposed increases. In the meantime, they will grapple with the continuing dilemma of how to provide the best education possible — while keeping it affordable and accessible.
Lyndsey Espinoza’s work with the tuition and fees committee has been educational, she said.
“Lots of times, students don’t pay attention about where their money is going,” she said. “But you learn to pay attention on this committee. You understand why tuition goes up, and you gain insight about the legislature and funding of higher education.”
Even though tuition increases are difficult, Ms. Espinoza said she understands them. If UTSA is going to serve a campus that is changing to a more traditional university from a commuter institution, changes must be made — and afforded.
“If we want our university to be a research university, we will have to pay for the research and more faculty members,” she said. “Our tuition will have to support those programs.”
“This committee,” said Rosalie Ambrosino, “is very serious. I tell the students they’re getting a good education about higher ed funding.
“I hope,” she said, “we’re educating some future legislators here who will know how higher ed funding works and how important it is.”
-- Ruth Pennebaker
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