Students can expect to pay more for courses next semester as the Board of Regents voted last Tuesday to increase tuition at Georgia State for the fourth consecutive year despite increased funding from the Georgia General Assembly.
Tuition will rise by 3.5 percent to $3,899 per semester compared to last year, which only cost $3,768.
The largest increase by far was the 16-percent increase that was implemented in fall 2010, which raised the tuition to $3,535.
In fall 2011, tuition went up by 3 percent to $3,641 and the next year by 3.5 percent to $3,768.
“In determining tuition rates for the upcoming academic year, affordability was the regents’ primary concern,” said John Brown, vice chancellor for Fiscal Affairs at a Board of Regents meeting in Savannah. “Our ability to maintain a low percentage increase reflects a serious commitment by the Board to minimize the financial impact on our stu- dents.”
Though students may not look forward to paying more for tuition, they can find comfort in knowing they aren’t facing any fee increases by the university. Last semester when the Mandatory Fee Committee met, no business was discussed in their first and only meeting of the academic year because it was rumored President Mark Becker would not entertain any new fee increases.
Later at his State of the University address in October of last year, Becker affirmed that he would not raise fees for students due to tough economic times.
“Keeping Georgia State University affordable for students is a top priority. The university has frozen fees for the past three years, and at the same time has worked with the Board of Regents to keep tuition increases as low as pos- sible. The 3.5% increase that was adopted for next year is essential to maintain the quality of the education, programs and services that Georgia State provides for students.”
While no new fees will be implemented by Georgia State in the upcoming year, the Student Government Association has passed a resolution sending a recommendation to the Mandatory Fee Committee.
The recommendation asks for the MFC to consider cre- ating a green fee from the $14 Library Fee that is scheduled to end this July.
“We discussed it, but we haven’t come to a conclusion. I definitely wouldn’t want the full $14,” current SGA senator and president elect, Ashley Epperson said.
Even if a $14 green fee were passed, the expiring library fee money would be relocated to satisfy eco-friendly purposes, so it would not raise overall fees.
The University of Georgia and Georgia Institute of Technology and will see the largest hikes, with students there paying 5 and 7 percent more in tuition each semester, respectively.
Recently ranked as one of the top public universities in the country, tuition at Georgia Tech is approximately $4,129, the largest of any university of college within the University System of Georgia.
Other colleges and universities in the system will receive tuition hikes of 2.5 percent as well.
