New study shows steady increase in public college tuition

The average cost of tuition and fees at the nation’s

four-year public colleges and universities has risen more than 47

percent in the past decade, according to a new study.

The College Board, a non-profit organization that owns the

Scholastic Aptitude Test, released its annual Trends in College

Pricing report Oct. 22. The report documented that declines in

state funding, endowments and fundraising, has contributed to the

steep increases.

At Boise State University, tuition costs for in-state

undergraduates have risen 43 percent, while graduate students have

seen an increase of 46 percent since 1994.

Peg Blake, vice-president of BSU Student Affairs, explained that

a major factor in the increase for Boise State students has been a

reduction in state-appropriated funds. “State funding just

hasn’t kept pace with the University’s growth,”

Blake said.

The report also showed that 60 percent of undergraduates use

financial aid packages to help pay for college. According to Blake,

financial aid has kept pace with fee increases at BSU, but

generally in the form of larger student loans. Blake said,

“Increased student loan limits help, but creates the problem

of graduating with greater debt.”

Blake emphasized that, “what students really need to do is

ask themselves if their education is worth the debt they’ll

be graduating with. I think they’ll find that it

is.”

Rep. Howard P. Mckeon (R-Calif.) in a statement to the

Associated Press said, “College tuition fees keep going up

much faster than the rate of inflation. We just need to continue to

pursue a course that will bring these charges in line. We’re

losing the opportunity for too many of our young people to go to

school.”

In response to steadily rising education costs, McKeon recently

introduced a bill to Congress that would hold institutions

accountable for raising tuition fees. The bill, if passed, would

deny institutions certain federal aid programs if they raised their

tuition fees beyond a set standard pegged to inflation.

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Boise State tuition increases since 1994
	1994 (per sem.)	2003 (per sem.)	Change
Undergraduate	$759 (In-state)	$1,735.50 (In-state)	+43.7%
Graduate	$955 (In-state)	$2,058.50 (In-state)	+46.3%

 

 

 

Brandon Beckham
News Reporter
The Arbiter

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