College students may pay higher fees

By Laura Diamond

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia’s college students will carry the burden of the next wave of state budget cuts under a proposal that would charge them up to $100 in additional fees next semester -- making it the second consecutive year they've had to pay more mid-year.

The State Board of Regents is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a plan that would double a special mandatory student fee. Students would pay an extra $50, $75 or $100 per semester depending on where they attend. This fee is not covered by most financial aid.

Students enrolled at research institutions such as the University of Georgia or Georgia Tech would pay an extra $100. They already pay $100 under the fee, bringing their new total to $200 a semester or $400 a year. The increase would begin next semester and continue through June 30, 2012.

Senior Alina Staskevicius, the undergraduate student body president at Georgia Tech, said $100 "is a significant increase for most students."

"Students aren't happy to see another mid-year fee increase," she said.

The regents warned in August that student fees would increase if state sales tax revenues continued to decline. The University System of Georgia said the state plans to make additional cuts to the higher education budget.

The new round of cuts would take an additional $41 million out the system's budget, spokesman John Millsaps said. Increasing the student fee is expected to account for about $24 million, according to the regents.

"This is a last resort," Millsaps said. "It is a burden on students and we tried to avoid it, but we have to mindful of what's happening."

The state has already cut about $135 million from the system's nearly $2.08 billion budget. Those cuts include mandatory furloughs for nearly all employees. Individual institutions also laid off workers, eliminated course sections and increased class sizes.

All state agencies have made cuts and Gov. Sonny Perdue ordered in July that all state employees take three furlough days by the end of 2009 because of budget shortfalls.

The Board of Regents started this special mandatory student fee in January and described it as a temporary measure because of budget cuts.

Parent Stephanie Kratofil said she understands the need for the extra fee but wondered what charges will come next.

"It just keeps going up and up and up," said Kratofil, whose daughter attends Georgia Southern University. "It's not going to stop her from going to school but when will it end? You just have to keep digging deeper in your pockets if you want to send your kids to college."