Contact: Anthony de Bruyn, (512) 499-4363

Date: November 4, 2003

UT System News Release

Tuition Proposals from U.T. Campuses Available Online

AUSTIN - Detailed tuition proposals from University of Texas System campuses are now available for viewing and downloading at www.utsystem.edu/news/tuition.

This dedicated website was launched on October 30 by the U.T. System to help inform students, parents, and other members of the public about tuition issues.

Chancellor Mark G. Yudof and the system-wide Commission on Tuition will now review each proposal and make recommendations to the U.T. System Board of Regents, which is scheduled to make decisions about the proposals at a special meeting in Austin on November 18.

The proposals from the campuses call for tuition increases ranging up to $16 per semester hour for spring 2004. Two campuses - U.T. Brownsville and U.T. Pan American - did not request any increases for the spring.

The proposals include a variety of innovations, such as flat rate tuition, which allows students to take additional credit hours without paying more; discounts for taking a full course load and maintaining minimum academic performance; and discounts for early payment of tuition bills and zero-interest loans and loan forgiveness for students who become teachers after graduation.

The new revenues will be used to support enhancement and expansion of academic programs and student services and will help make up for cuts in state appropriations. Last spring, the Legislature cut state appropriations for the U.T. System by 6 percent for the 2003-2005 budget period.

With the new revenues from tuition increases, campuses are planning to hire additional faculty and academic and financial aid advisers, expand course offerings, reduce student-faculty ratios, and make other improvements.

Included are provisions to set aside at least 20 percent of new tuition revenues for financial assistance for students. At U.T. El Paso, all students currently receiving need-based financial aid will receive additional aid to cover the complete cost of tuition increases for this spring. At U.T. Austin, students from families earning up to $80,000 a year will receive financial assistance that offsets tuition increases by 50 percent to 100 percent.

"Despite selected and targeted increases in tuition rates, we will keep higher education accessible and affordable," Yudof said. "Our goal is that no student be denied educational opportunity because of financial need."

Currently about 30 percent of undergraduate students in the U.T. System receive scholarships and grants that pay the full cost of tuition and fees. This is in addition to loans and other forms of financial aid.
Overall, about 31 percent of undergraduate tuition and fee charges are offset by financial aid. U.T. System students receive more than $719 million a year in all forms of financial aid.

Tuition Website

Tuition Proposals Online

News Release: Yudof Appoints Members to System-wide Commission on Tuition (8/27/2003)