Every student enjoys fancy, new buildings on campus — but when it comes to footing the bill, they quickly become less enthused. This, in addition to a potential tuition increase, is causing both in and out-of-state students to grow concerned about their finances.
The University of Oregon Governing Board of Trustees has recently submitted a recommendation to the Oregon Board of Higher Education for the 2014-15 school year. The budget includes a 3 percent increase in out-of-state tuition, a 16.4 percent increase in mandatory fees and no increase in in-state tuition.
A portion of the mandatory fee increase would go towards the renovation of the Erb Memorial Union. The total budget for construction is $95 million. It is expected that $5 million will be earned through private donations. Students will cover the rest through a $67 fee paid each term, by each student, for the next 30 years.
Beth Villano, a UO sophomore from Bend, Ore. feels that students need to know more about what our mandatory fees are spent on.
“I don’t understand why they have to redo the EMU in the first place. Besides that it’s kind of annoying structural wise, it still works,” Villano said. “I understand that the money has to come from somewhere, and if mandatory fees is the way they have to do it, then fine. But the public should know exactly where this money is going.”
ASUO President, Sam Dotters-Katz, explained that a lot of our mandatory fees go toward things that we all benefit from such as the Health Center, the Recreation Center, and Lane Transit District. He feels that current and future students will be pleased with the EMU renovation once it is completed.
“One of the reasons out-of-state tuition will only go up a little is because we think we have reached the market rate. Out-of-state students shouldn’t expect large increases in the future,” Dotters-Katz said.
Oregon Legislature gave public Oregon universities $40 million in order to help prevent tuition increases for the 2014-15 school year. Lawmakers decided, for the first time in 14 years, to put a freeze on in-state tuition.
Quinn Hopp, a UO sophomore from San Carlos, Calif. feels that even a small increase in out-of-state tuition could drive students away. She doesn’t think it’s fair to only increase tuition for a portion of the student body.
“Obviously mandatory fees going up is never a good thing. But it’s better that everyone’s fees are going up, instead of targeting one group of people who are already paying more,” Hopp said.
The finance and administration sub-committee of the Oregon Board of Higher Education will take a vote to finalize the budget later this spring.
Dotters-Katz said, “The reason that I voted for it is because every building on this campus that we use, someone else paid for.” He believes that the EMU renovation will serve as a legacy for future students that will leave this campus a better place.
“For how much this campus has done for us as individuals, we want to pass that on to others,” Dotters-Katz said.