BY MARK SKERTIC
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Tuition will likely go up at the University of Cincinnati this fall, but not for all students.
The proposed budget would boost undergraduate tuition 5 percent on the main campus in Clifton. But for those in the two-year degree program or in graduate school, the increases would be less -- ranging from just 0.3 percent for those pursuing a post-baccalaureate degree to 3 percent an associate degree program.
The news is best for undergraduates attending the branch campuses. The proposal would increase tuition on the Clermont County campus just 1.5 percent, while no increase is planned for Raymond Walters College in Blue Ash.
Different proposals for different campuses and programs are part of a delicate balancing act, Dale McGirr, vice president for finance, told the UC Board of Trustees finance committee Wednesday. Trustees could vote on the proposal at their June meeting.
UC needs more money because growth in the amount the state sends has slowed, Mr. McGirr said. Because of flat enrollment, UC's state subsidy is expected to grow by only 1 percent in the 1998-99 school year, to $183 million of $631 million in anticipated resources. Tuition revenue is expected to account for $165 million.
Several board members questioned whether UC's costs are competitive, particularly given Cincinnati State Technical and Community College's decision not to increase tuition next year. That school, also in Clifton, awards two-year degrees.
UC needs to reduce increases in its own two-year program to keep from being priced out of the market, Mr. McGirr responded.
At the same time, UC is aggressively proposing 10 percent increases in undergraduate tuition for students from outside Ohio. When vying for out-of-state students, UC must ensure its price is competitive, Mr. McGirr said.
That was bad news for Kevin Edwards, 23, a freshman from St. Kitts, an island in the Caribbean. He and sophomore Jason Ware, 20, of Hamilton were walking across campus when told of the proposal.
"It's not just the cost of living; tuition is always going up more," said Mr. Edwards.
"It's crazy," Mr. Ware said. "It goes up every year."
