Tuition and fees 'likely to go up'

By Tanya Drobness
Staff Writer

Tuition and fees are “likely to go up” for the 2003-2004 school year, William Paterson University President Arnold Speert said at an open tuition hearing held Tuesday in the Atrium auditorium.

The administration, however, still does not know how much tuition and fees will increase next semester. Because 50% of the university’s funding comes from the state, the final appropriation for the budget will not be determined until June, according to Stephen Bolyai, Vice President Administration and Finance. So it will be a few weeks longer until students will be able to determine the impact of the increase.

The state has slashed $5 million from the university’s proposed budget of $41.1 million for funding for the 2003-2004 school year. By next June, the university will only have received $36.1 million.
“It’s immense,” said Speert, adding that although putting the extra cash may be, in some cases, “devastating” for students, increases are necessary. “We still have seen increases in enrollment, as well as more services and all around improvement,” he added.

As a result of the state budget cuts throughout the Garden State imposed by Governor James McGreevey, WPU will not only be forced to increase tuition and fees, but also will have to cut back on hiring faculty and purchasing computer and lab equipment, as well as offer less classes next semester, Bolyai said.

Tuition and fees have increased steadily between 6-8% over recent years, and the goal has been to stay under the 10% mark. But whether or not the increase will be 10% or more for the upcoming school year could not be determined at the meeting. “We are hopeful that we will not be put in that position,” Speert said.

Although Speert said that the tuition hearing is held each year to “get a sense of the students feelings about the rising tuition and to explore the rationale behind the need for money and how we propose to use it,” only three students were present.

Junior Class President Alain Martin, 22, who also is the Food Committee Chairperson, voiced his concerns about the living conditions and food services on campus.
“As tuition increases, the quality of life for students decreases,” Martin said. “Students go without water in the apartments, they get stuck in the elevators and the employees aren’t handling the food properly,” he claimed.
“If students pay more, the services rendered to them should be quality services,” he added.

Although Robert Taylor, Trustee and Chairman of the Finance and Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees, responded by suggesting that Martin voice his concerns at Student Speak out Sessions where he could engage in “direct dialogue with an administrator and other students,” Martin was still unsatisfied.

“I don’t think we’ll see improvements unless more students get involved, but unfortunately we didn’t see that today,” Martin said.

Although many students may be burdened with the rising costs, the university is trying to keep it from becoming a severity.

“Every time tuition goes up it has an impact on the students,” Bolyai said. “Unfortunately, when the state continues to under-support higher education tuition and fees tend to go up. We are trying very hard to minimize that increase,” he added.

According to Bolyai, WPU has had substantial reductions instate support over the last few years. He added that student support and input is important so that they better understand where their money is being spent.

Most tuition dollars are used for salaries for professors and support staff, materials in laboratories and classrooms, upgrading classrooms and equipment, maintenance and snow removal, Bolyai said.

Stephen Lucin, 20, said that although more students should have been at the hearing to address their concerns, the meeting was helpful for those who attended. “I feel that in order for the meetings to be beneficial more students should show or else the administration won’t know what the students’ concerns are,” he said.

Dr. Susanna Tardi, professor of sociology, stressed the need for student involvement. “It’s important that students realize that they have control. Students all too often express powerlessness, and they should become more actively involved,” she said.

May 8 , 2003 Issue