The UH tuition and fee committee proposed tuition increase of up to 5 percent for next year.
Exact amount of the increase will depend on the availability of state funds over the next two years, University administration said in a public tuition and fee forum Tuesday in the University Center.
‘We decided there are so many things that can happen that we ought to stick with a range and keep our options open,’ Provost John Antel said.
A 5 percent increase would mean an additional $168 per semester in tuition fees for students enrolled in 12 credit hours.
The committee said it based the range on state legislation that could prevent a tuition increase or limit increases to 5 percent.
State lawmakers should have the appropriations bill, which delineates state funding to schools, approved by the end of the regular session June 1.
Any increase in tuition will reflect cuts in state spending on UH Antel said.
‘We’re going to keep tuition and fees increases as close to zero as possible,’ Antel said. ‘But we have to be mindful of the economic climate.’
Although, a state-funds-based tuition increase means a shift in the source of UH funds, tuition payments will still be invested in ‘student success initiatives,’ Antel said.
These ‘student success initiatives’ include student scholarships, instructional faculty salaries and student academic support, which funds academic advising, petroleum and biomedical engineering programs’ equipment and facilities, Antel said.
‘We don’t want to see (students) waiting on the phone for 45 minutes to talk to an admissions counselor or financial aid counselor,’ Antel said. ‘We really are dedicated to try to get our student services even better than they are.’
Recommendations from the tuition and fee committee also included increased discounts on summer and night classes, publicizing graduation contract and scholarship programs and raising the income ceiling of the Cougar Promise to $40,000.
Committee member and former SGA President Sam Dike said the aim of the recommendations is to keep students enrolled in the University.
‘We’ve been trying to focus on not just the rate,’ Dike said. ‘But different ways we can make an education more affordable at UH.’
Vice President of Student Affairs Elwyn Lee addressed fee increases for student housing and child care at UH.
Lee said he expects a 4 percent increase in on-campus student-housing rates to offset operating costs and salary increases.
The increase translates to an additional cost of $146 to $214 per semester, depending on the room.
Partnership housing, such as Cambridge Oaks and Cullen Oaks, will see an increase between 3 and 4 percent.
Weekly rates for child care will increase $20 for infants and pre-kindergarteners, and $40 for toddlers.
The additional revenue will allow UH to continue to meet licensing and accreditation standards for staff, Lee said.
Meal plans and parking permits will also increase an average of 6 percent.
Residential meal plans will increase the most, between $70 and $85, while commuter meal plans will increase between $15 and $45, Lee said.
The Transportation and Parking advisory committee recommended rate increases of 8.5 percent for students over the next two years, while faculty rates would increase 15 percent the first year and 10 percent fall of 2011.
Parking rate increases will pay for new parking facilities, improvements to existing facilities and parking services, Vice President for Administration and Finance Carl Carlucci said.
The committee also proposed a $30 summer parking pass for 2010 and a $40 pass for the following summer.
The recommendations will go before the UH Board of Regents in a public meeting April 14.
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