Wednesday, June 23, 1999
UC students feel pinch as tuition rises 5%
Hikes to pay for new programs, school says
BY DANA DiFILIPPO
The Cincinnati Enquirer
University of Cincinnati undergraduates will see tuition rise 5 percent this fall as part of a $671 million interim budget trustees approved Tuesday.
Annual tuition for in-state, full-time undergraduates will climb $252, from $4,746 to $4,998.
Administrators defended the hike, saying it's lower than the 6 percent state cap and in line with increases at other state universities.
The rise is necessary, officials say, to offset inflation and pay for new programs, new technology, facilities and scholarships. It also accompanies cost-cutting measures totaling $8 million.
But students say they're tired of tuition hikes. Undergraduate increases have averaged 6.4 percent a year in the past 10 years.
“I come from a low-income family, but I don't get much financial aid, so I rely on scholarships a great deal,” said Amy Freudiger, 20, a UC junior from Bethel. “I may have to take out more loans to pay for this increase.”
The increase comes despite a $10.8 million rise in state support, a $10 million jump in research funding and a $4.1 million gain in gifts and endowment income.
UC President Joseph Steger said the 34,000-student univer sity needs a tuition hike because state support, proportionally, continually shrinks while competitive needs, such as technology and facilities, steadily grow.
“When I came here in 1982, the state paid for 42 percent of our budget. Now it's down to 28 percent,” Mr. Steger said.
Tuition and fees account for 26 percent of UC's budget, raising $164.6 million in 1998-99. That figure is expected to climb to $172.8 million in 1999-2000.
The 1999-2000 budget UC approved Tuesday is an interim budget. Trustees plan to tweak it after state lawmakers and education officials finalize their higher education allocations.
It includes $3.5 million in new spending, including:
• New physical therapy master's degree and doctoral pharmacy degree: $823,000.
• Scholarship increases: $1.47 million.
• Gender equity in sports programs: $226,000.
• Student information system technology: $30,000.
Library acquisitions also will climb 8 percent, or $377,000.
Trustees adopted an across-the-board budget cut of 3 percent for all administrative offices and a retirement incentive program for 123 senior faculty. An energy-efficiency program also saved money.
UC has cut nearly $90 million from its budgets in the past 12 years.
Such measures will allow UC to open three new buildings — the Vontz Center for Molecular Studies, the University Hall office building and the expanded facility for the College-Conservatory of Music — at no additional operating cost, administrators said.
The tuition hike won't apply to some of UC's open-access programs. Most two-year colleges will see no increase, while the two-year University College will get a slight decrease.
News of the tuition hike drew frustrated sighs from some students.
“They have increased tuition every year since I've been here, so it doesn't surprise me at all,” said Jeff Schmiesing, 23, a senior from Coldwater, Ohio. “But I think that's the way every university operates — constant tuition hikes.”
Rising tuition prompted Mr. Schmiesing to get a part-time job. Ms. Freudiger participates in a federal work-study program to pay her way through school.
Despite the financial hardship, Ms. Freudiger said she'd support a tuition hike if it would mean more services and better facilities for students, especially a general auditorium or theater for student events.
“I just want something tangible from a tuition increase,” she said.
Besides the tuition increase, UC administrators anticipate more money from state subsidies, endowment income and research funding:
• State support comprises the biggest slice of UC's budget. UC will get about $190.2 million in state subsidies in 1999-2000, with an additional $7.7 million in performance-based grants. That's $10.9 million more than 1998-99.
• UC will get $130.7 million in government and private grants and contracts, up about $10 million from last year.
• Endowment income is anticipated to climb $1.8 million, from $22.5 million to $24.3 million.
COMPARING TUITION HIKES
Approved and proposed annual tuition hikes for in-state, full-time undergraduates::
• Miami University (proposed): 5 percent to 6 percent increase. Current tuition is $5,726.
• Ohio State University (pro posed): 6 percent, from $3,879 to $4,110.
• Northern Kentucky University: 5.2 percent increase, from $1,920 to $2,020.
• University of Cincinnati: 5 percent, from $4,746 to $4,998.
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