Chancellor says students resigned to tuition hikes

Jennifer Knight

Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2002 | 9:25 a.m.

Student feedback on proposed college tuition increases of 16.4 percent over the next two years has been largely negative, but students seem resigned to paying more for their educations, Chancellor Jane Nichols says.

"I think that part of the feedback that we're getting is, 'I don't want to pay more, but if we have to, we want to see where the money is going,' " said Nichols, who just finished touring all eight institutions in the University and Community College System of Nevada.

If the Board of Regents approves tuition increases next week, the cost for a university education in Nevada will jump from $2,370 a year for full-time students to $2,565 in 2003 and $2,760 in 2004.

"Does it put an additional financial burden on me, yes it does," said Chris Powell, a business finance junior at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. "I'm like the average student, I have to work full time (to pay for college)."

Community colleges will feel slightly less of a pinch, with 4 percent increases proposed each for 2003 and 2004. Under that plan, tuition would increase from $1,365 to $1,485 a year for a full-time student.

The 11-member Board of Regents will vote on the proposed increases March 6 in Reno.

The increases, higher for the universities than in previous years, have been roundly criticized by students, who say their resources are already tight; by minorities, who fear another impediment in access to higher education; and by one conservative on the board, who opposes using a portion of the money for need-based scholarships.

Half of the increases will be set aside for need-based scholarships to help students with financial hardships.

That, Regent Steve Sisolak said, is like welfare for college students.

"Fundamentally, I'm opposed to it," Sisolak said. "You're asking one student to subsidize another student. I personally know of many students who have to work one or two jobs in order to pay for school. It's just not fair."

Christopher Stevens, UNLV's associate director and senior financial aid counselor, disagreed.

"It is part of the university experience to prepare students for their civic duty," Stevens said. "As you deal with the tax structure, you are contributing to society. I believe that concept is incumbent on the university to have them deal with these types of issues."

UNLV's need-based fund has about $2 million and serves 1,500 students per year, Stevens said. University officials did not have estimates on how many more, if any, need-based scholarships the tuition increases would create.

But one minority activist says the tuition hikes will do more to hurt than to help disadvantaged students.

"Tuition increases are certainly a detriment to minority students," said Thomas Rodriguez of the Reynold L. Martinez Institute for Leadership and Research. "I don't see how it could not be."

Regent Linda Howard said she also sees the tuition increases as an impediment to low-income students.

"I'm certainly not for the tuition hikes," said Howard, who has championed minorities' issues while on the board. "Just like the (grade point average) being increased, tuition increases shut poor students out. If you make tuition higher, that's one more obstacle that poor students have to overcome."

But whatever the arguments, the increases will help make up for state funding that was lower than expected for the 2002-2003 fiscal year.

Institutions have seen steady enrollment growth, and Nevada still has some of the lowest university tuition rates in the West, Nichols said.

Stevens said the increases are manageable for students.

"They're going to have to budget," Stevens said. "That might mean that students would tap into our on-campus job system to get a one-time job. Or the students might have to pass over that glamor lunch and pack a sack lunch."