Students returning in the fall can count on higher tuition fees, by how much depends on what the Tennessee legislature does to balance the budget this summer.
Each summer the presidents from each of Tennessee schools meet with TBR officials to fix tuition costs for the upcoming year.
David Zettergren , assistant vice president for finance, said the U of M won’t know how much of a tuition increase to recommend until they hear how much money they will get from the state.
“That’s the most important thing we need to know is how much were gonna get,” said Zettergren. “Right now we don’t know what the state is gonna do. What I’ve been hearing from the state is that at best we’re gonna get what we got last year.”
U of M students have seen tuition increases for the past 13 years. The average tuition increase is 6.8 percent a year, which is a little less than the national average of seven percent . However, the past three years represent a more drastic trend. For the 2001-02 school year fees rose by 15 percent , the year before that it was 10 percent, and before that it was eight percent.
Zettergren said because there have been such spiked tuition costs in the past few years , the U of M is going to try hard to keep the increase below six percent.
“We don’t want it to be more than that,” said Zettergren. “We realize it’s a hardship on the students.”
Yet, the U of M may be left without another option besides double-digit tuition hike. The state is shouldering a $350 million budget deficit this year and currently there’s a gap of as much as $1.2 billion in the fiscal year that begins July 1.
At least one solution to these budget woes is gaining popularity and may be voted on in late April or early May.
A 4.5 percent flat-rate state income tax which exempts sales tax on grocery food, clothing and nonprescription drugs is the possible solution. Sponsor of the bill, House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, has said that he believes they have the 50 votes necessary to pass the measure in the house. The plan is projected to increase state revenue by $1.1 billion.
Dr. Ken Holland, professor of political science, said that kind of money would resonate in a tangible way around campus.
“It would have a major impact,” said Holland. “It would relieve the pressure of tuition increases, make more money for construction and keep key faculty here.”
Holland said even if the proposal passed, it’s likely The U of M wouldn’t benefit from the extra incoming money for another year.
