Georgia’s public college students won’t see a tuition increase next year and will pay less to enroll in some online courses.
The state’s Board of Regents, which oversees Georgia’s public college and university system, formally approved the tuition freeze and e-course discount Wednesday during a called meeting.
The Regents had announced the tuition freeze in February as some state lawmakers were questioning the years of tuition hikes in the University System. Legislation had been proposed that would have barred the system from implementing tuition increases greater than the rate of inflation. Another bill would have required the Board of Regents to become an elected, rather than an appointed body. Neither item passed this year.
The board also approved the system’s amended budget of just over $2 billion for the current year, and a $2.14 billion budget for the upcoming year, which awaits the governor’s signature. Next year’s spending plan is a 5.8 percent increase over the current year’s funding from the state, and includes $59.5 million in state money for merit-based pay raises for employees.
Students at some of the system’s 29 institutions will see some fee increases next year. The Board approved 13 hikes — of 22 requested — for the upcoming school year for things like health and transportation fees. Students in the fall will pay fees ranging from $501 per semester at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, up to $1,478 per semester at Kennesaw State University.
System officials said they worked hard with each institution to reduce the number of fee increases each year, which has been a goal of system Chancellor Hank Huckaby. Fee increases have dropped from 67 in fiscal 2012 to 13 for next year, officials said.
The board also approved funding for each of the system’s schools, taking into consideration enrollment declines at 14 of its 29 schools. Officials said they tried to soften the budget cuts for those institutions.
“Nobody ever gets everything they want,” said board chairman Kessel Stelling, Jr.
The cost cut for the eMajor credit hours will mean a $51 per credit hour cut for students enrolled in and completing specific associate’s and bachelor’s degrees through online learning programs. The University System has boosted its online courses and provides some online textbooks to help cut college costs. The online textbooks are estimated to save students about $15 million this school year.
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