The UH System Board of Regents approved a 3.95 percent tuition increase for the main campus, effective Fall 2009, on Tuesday.
The approval, which passed by a 6-2 margin, will increase tuition by an average of $131 per 12 credit hours.
UH administration said most of the revenue from the hike is expected to go toward Student Services and raising faculty salaries to retain and compete with flagship universities.
‘I want to assure students one thing, that the increase is really important,’ Provost John Antel said. ‘In all the discussions of student increase in tuition and fees (we determined) that most of the revenue derived from (the increase) will go back to the students’ success.
‘In fact, of the $9 million that we are asking in the tuition and fee increase, actually $4 million is going directly to student success. We are taking about advisers, financial aid counselors, and all the things that we need to be tier one.’
UH-Clear Lake, UH-Victoria and UH-Downtown will also see a tuition hike of 3.3 percent, 3.4 percent and 4.8 percent, respectively. The increase for the entire system is 3.98 percent.
Four members of the Student Government Association and former President Sam Dike spoke to the Board to oppose the rise in tuition, citing tough economic times and extra burdens on students.
‘(I don’t want to) stand in the way of progress for the University of Houston moving toward tier one. But will we be the university that gets there at any and all cost? Or will (we) be going down a unique path, which we will be known for; a university that is compassionate to our working students and maintains the commitment begun by Edison Oberholtzer and Hugh Cullen,’ Dike said.
The UH mission states: ‘Identify and respond to the economic, social and cultural challenges affecting the quality of life in Houston, the state of Texas and the world through its education, research and service.’
SGA Speaker Alexander Obregon said the University should not have students bear the burden, especially during an economic downturn.
‘This year, and this year only, the University should make a commitment to students,’ Obregon said. ‘That of a percent increase. During these tough economic times, students should not be bailing out the University.’
Dike feels the University is making poor business decisions.
‘Raising tuition and increasing faculty pay is not a good business strategy,’ he said. ‘When revenue is low, businesses don’t increase prices and give their employees salary increase, because they understand that they need to keep customers.’
SGA President Kenneth Fomomung, Sen. Stephen Quezada and Chief of Staff Andre Evans said they were bothered by how the process was being presented. They want the University to clearly show students where their money is going.
‘We want transparency,’ Evans said. ‘It is not that there is any suspicion about the budgeting, we feel it is time to build an environment of trust.’
Evans also said he wants the Board to consider the impact raising tuition would have on potential students considering college.
‘I got accepted into various universities, but came to UH because it was affordable,’ Evans said.
Vice Chairman Lynden B. Rose opposed the tuition increase.
‘The tuition increase would be doing a disservice to the students,’ Rose said. ‘When gas prices are going up and the economy is bad, why do we have to raise tuition?’
Chairman Welcome Wilson said he voted for the increase after considering all the options.
‘I took into consideration the burden this would be on students, but I voted for the increase only after considering all the other alternatives,’ he said.
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