Alaska News

University of Alaska proposes lowest tuition increase in more than a decade

In a time when students are seeing tuition spikes across the nation, the University of Alaska is taking an unusual route with its lowest proposed tuition increase in more than a decade, according to a university press release. A proposed increase of 2 percent will go before the UA Board of Regents for approval in September. The increase would apply to the Fall 2013-Spring 2014 tuition costs, and will apply to all 16 campuses across Alaska.

Tuition currently makes up about 12 percent of the university system's budget. The reduced increase in tuition costs will have to be offset by working "creatively" to reduce costs elsewhere on the campuses; University President Gamble said, "There is no free lunch…When we squeeze this balloon, it expands the dollar shortfall to be made up elsewhere in our system."

Associate Vice President of Student & Enrollment Services Saichi Oba said, "A tuition increase isn't something we celebrate, but the past decade has been a tough one, one of tuition rising yearly sometimes even in the double-digits."

The tuition increase will range from $3 to $8 per credit hour, depending on the type of credit enrollment, whether graduate, upper division or lower division. According to the press release, an undergraduate, full-time student enrolled in 15 credits can expect a $45-$60 increase per semester.

There are many reasons college tuition has spiked in recent years; no one factor can be blamed. UA's attempt at curbing those costs may bring some relief to cash-strapped students, but it's likely that others will still bemoan the increases, modest as they are.

Craig Medred

Craig Medred is a former writer for the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Dispatch and Alaska Dispatch News. He left the ADN in 2015.

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