For some, Georgia tuition increases by more than 16%

By Laura Diamond

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tuition at Georgia’s public colleges will increase by as much as $500 a semester this fall under changes the State Board of Regents approved Tuesday.

The increases, which vary based on one of five types of schools, range from about 4 percent at two-year colleges to more than 16 percent at research institutions. They come after the Legislature cut $227 million from the higher education budget for the fiscal year starting July 1.

Usha Ramachandran, vice chancellor for fiscal affairs for the University System of Georgia, presented the increases to the regents early Tuesday afternoon.

The highest increase will be paid by students attending one of the state’s research institutions — the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia State University — where tuition will be $3,535 per semester.

At the middle level, students will pay an additional $200 at four-year state universities, such as Albany State University and Clayton State University, where tuition will be $2,137.

The smallest increase, $50, will be paid by students at two-year colleges, such as Georgia Perimeter College, where tuition will be $1,199.

Out-of-state students will see their tuition increase by the same dollar amount, but because they pay more the percent change will be different. For example, the additional $500 for out-of-state students at UGA, Tech and Georgia State will raise their tuition to $12,640 a semester — an increase of about 4 percent.

Students will ultimately pay thousands more to attend college after fees, textbooks, housing and other costs are added.

Jesus Pulido, a rising junior at Georgia State, said he was “utterly appalled” over the tuition increases. He is a member of Georgia Students for Public Higher Education, which held several protests over proposed cuts and argued against tuition increases.

He said it was unfair that research colleges have the highest increase. “Do they think students who attend research institutions are more well-off and can afford these increases?” he asked.

Erroll Davis, chancellor of the University System, said two-year colleges had the smallest increase because they are access institutions and the system wants more students starting at those colleges.

Still, he said there was concern about raising tuition at the research colleges. Students who qualify for Pell Grants and attend UGA, Georgia Tech or Georgia State this fall will be eligible for need-based aid or work-study programs to cover the entire increase, Davis said.

About 5,600 students at the three colleges would be eligible for this new aid, according to system estimates. If all goes as planned, “they should see no increase,” Davis said.

Davis and others said the tuition increases were needed to offset continued state budget cuts.

Ramachandran described the budget cuts over the past few years as an “economic tsunami.”

The University System received $8,191 per student from the state during the 2009 fiscal year, but it will receive $6,242 per student for the upcoming 2011 fiscal year. The last time the system received that low an amount was the 1996 fiscal year, she said.

Bert Brantley, a spokesman for Gov. Sonny Perdue, said the state has spent billions over the past several years to help colleges keep up with growing enrollments. He said all state agencies have had to make difficult decisions because the state revenue is down.

“The governor is concerned about college being affordable for the average Georgian,” Brantley said.

When formulating the increases, Ramachandran said staff balanced the need to preserve access, protect the quality of academic programs and keep tuition competitive with other colleges across the state, region and nation.

“We care about our students and we care about institutions,” she said, adding there is a delicate balance that needs to be maintained. “What is the tolerance for raising tuition? How much can you do and how much should you do?”

Even with the increase, the annual in-state tuition at UGA, Tech and Georgia State will be either at or below the median for peer institutions, Davis said.

The same can’t be said for out-of-state costs. “Our out-of-state tuitions are not inexpensive when compared to their peers,” Davis said.

Even though students knew increases were likely, it was frustrating not to have any input, said Joshua Delaney, the incoming student body president at UGA. He and other student leaders are advocating for a student to serve on the Board of Regents.

“We knew we were going to hear some hard news,” he said, “but this is not as hard as it could have been.”

Delaney said many students are counting on the state’s HOPE scholarship to cover the increases.

But rising tuition and the rapidly growing number of students attending college have put a financial burden on the merit-based scholarship. Under state law, when reserves dip below a certain level, the scholarship’s benefits are automatically cut. A tuition increase will accelerate that.

HOPE officials have said students could begin to see a reduction as soon as July 1, 2011. Book-fee awards will drop from $300 to $150 then and disappear in fall 2012. In fall 2013, HOPE will no longer cover some student fees.

Still, the new tuition increases won’t affect all students.

About 102,000 students — rising juniors and fourth-year seniors — will continue to pay the same amount they have paid since their freshman year under the state’s old fixed-for-four program. The system enrolled more than 300,000 students this year.

The program guaranteed new students the same tuition for four years. Regents ended the program last spring, but they promised to honor the tuition pledge to students already enrolled.

While all students won’t pay more in tuition, they should expect cuts on their campuses.

The tuition increases would cover about 35 percent of the state funding cut, Ramachandran said.

The 35 University System campuses will absorb the rest, with presidents deciding what — or whom — to cut. The regents are scheduled to approve those cuts in June.

Paying more

Students at all public colleges will pay more this fall, but the amount will vary by campus. Tuition is per semester and based on in-state students taking 15 credits. (A complete list for all 35 campuses can be found at www.usg.edu.)

College ... Tuition ... Amount increase ... Percent change

University of Georgia … $3,535 … $500 … 16.47%

Georgia Tech … $3,535 … $500 … 16.47%

Georgia State … $3,535 … $500 … 16.47%

Georgia Southern ... $2,298 ... $300 … 15.01%

Kennesaw State ... $2,298 ... $300 … 15.01%

University of West Georgia ... $2,298 ... $300 … 15.01%

Southern Polytechnic ... $2,489 ... $300 … 14%

Clayton State ... $2,137 … $200 … 10.32%

Georgia Gwinnett ... $1,600 ... $100 ... 6.66%

Georgia Perimeter … $1,199 … $50 … 4.35%

Source: University System of Georgia.

Tuition increases

Tuition increases that the Board of Regents adopted Tuesday mean tuition at the University of Georgia will have gone up 94 percent since 2005. Using UGA as an example, here is how much in-state freshmen have paid per semester in tuition. Fees, housing and other college costs are not included.

Year … Tuition … Increase

Fall 2010 … $3,535 … 16.47%

Fall 2009 … $3,035 … 25.00%

Fall 2008 … $2,428 … 8.00%

Fall 2007 … $2,248 … 15.51%

Fall 2006 … $1,946 … 6.98%

Fall 2005 … $1,819

Source: University System of Georgia, UGA bursar’s office Web site.

NOTE: 2009 and 2010 tuition covers 15 credits. Previous years were based on 12 credits.