ETSU: 6.4-Percent Average Tuition Increase Favors Part-Time Students
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George Jackson/11 Connects
Dosset Hall, ETSU’s administration building
Johnson City, Tenn.—The Tennessee Board of Regents have approved a tuition hike for state universities, community colleges, and tech centers.
Their thumbs up will deliver 6.1-percent more tuition revenue to East Tennessee State University, and 5.5-percent more tuition revenue to Northeast State Technical Community College.
The board made those increases possible when they eliminated a tuition last December.
On it’s face, the increase seems like Alexander Hamilton on parade.
“The fee for the 13th hour is just an additional $10. Then the fee for the 14th hour would be another $10,“ said B.J. King, the associate vice-president of financial services at ETSU.
(For a full breakdown of 2009-2010’s cost per credit hour at ETSU, click the first web link at left)
But those $10 fees can add up to a double-digit percent change in some cases.
For example, in-state students taking 21 credit hours at ETSU paid $2,151 last year—the same amount as students taking 12 credit hours. That same student will pay $2,382 next year—a 10.74% increase.
(For a full breakdown of those comparisons, click the second web link at left)
“It is more of an advantage for the part-time student,“ King said. “And that, pretty much, is the base that we serve in East Tennessee.“
For full-time students, the added cost might be a hard pill to swallow.
Suzi Azzazy and Shawn Stewart ... both full-time students—outspoken ones at that. They hold positions in student government.
“It’s expensive enough already to come to college,“ said Shawn Stewart, the Student Government Association’s chief of staff.
King said she was prepared for some resistance. The average increase is about 6.4-percent, a relatively modest figure, and comparable to previous years, she said.
Suzi Azzazy agrees, that figure is modest. She worries the lack of a tuition cap opens the floodgates.
“Right now, it’s only six-point-four percent and doesn’t seem like that much,“ Azzazy said. “But it will probably keep going up and that will be a financial burden on many students.“
For a video version of this report, click the play icon above.
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Reader Reactions
Theyre gonna shoot theirselves in the foot…they keep raising rates long enough and the students will shutter the place…then they wont have anyone to pay for all these sport facilities theyre cranking out…
I’m so glad I’m almost done with that pos school. College has become a huge racket. There are all kinds of “fees” you get hit with along with these tuition hikes! First the goofy fee that everyone has to pay which is ridiculous, plus “online fees” for any onine classes (I believe those were approximtely $15 per credit last semester - $45 per class), plus “business class fee” for any business classes taken (so if your major is business that’s just tough luck). I believe that one was $20 per credit last semester - $60 per class. It’s RIDICULOUS! Again, I am so glad I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and never have to go back again!
As everyone who is a student knows there is also the wonder “book” racket they have always had and still have! Some books they only use for ONE semester now. Isn’t that nice? I think all the students should be able to have 2 diplomas when they graduate. One for their major and one for the B.S. they put up with while being a student!
First, on an unrelated note, these pop-up ads that obscure the news articles on TriCities.com are very annoying!
As for these “necessary” college tuition hikes, to whom or what is the additional money going to be allocated?
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