With demand for college education and resources increasing, tuition has gone up at all nine University of Texas System institutions since fall 2010.
For fall 2011, UT-Dallas has the highest estimated cost at $5,362, and UT-Pan American has the lowest cost at $3,044.
Anthony de Bruyn, UT System assistant vice chancellor for public affairs, said UT-Dallas has the highest cost because it has more degrees in the science fields than the other UT System schools, which makes the cost of laboratory and research space go up.
De Bruyn said student-approved fees, which are approved by campus vote, are also added to cost of attendance for things like athletics.
The UT System Board of Regents adopts tuition and fee plans every two years, with the next biennium beginning in 2012, he said.
UT System spokesman Matt Flores said each campus forms a committee to discuss tuition, and each committee submits a tuition recommendation to the Board of Regents.
Flores said the recommendations are voted on, and tuition is decided in the spring.
UTA will have a Tuition Review Committee meeting today with a Student Congress meeting discussing the committee’s recommendation at 6 p.m.
“The UT System is keenly aware of the current economic climate and the challenges facing all of us,” de Bruyn said.
There is statutory tuition set by the Texas Legislature and designated tuition, or extra fees or cost charged by each school. Mandatory fees are required for all students, while other charges are paid voluntarily or depending on students’ degree programs. These fees pay for daily operation of the university, student services and resources, according to a report on access and affordability in the UT-System.
Psychology senior Brandi Cavener said she finds the cost of attending UTA to be high.
Cavener said she’s had to take out 12 loans and was working two jobs in spring 2010 to pay for school and living expenses for her house.
She said she had to quit one of her jobs because it was difficult to balance two jobs and 16 credit hours of classes.
“I have to penny pinch,” Cavener said. “The economy makes it difficult to get an education because a lot of unemployed people don’t qualify for financial aid.”
University spokeswoman Kristin Sullivan said the UT System advises its schools universities to avoid increasing tuition by more than 4.95 percent.
The total cost of tuition has gone up from $4,272 in fall 2009 to $4,441 in fall 2010 and is $4,646 in fall 2011, according to UTA’s 2010 tuition and fees proposal.
UTA, UT-Austin, UT-Brownsville, UT-El Paso and UT-Pan American offer a flat rate tuition program based on the number of credit hours students take, according to a report on access and affordability in the UT System.
Sullivan said the average cost of total tuition and fees at UT Arlington is $9,292 for the 2011-2012 school year.
“Two-thirds of UTA students receive some kind of financial aid,” she said. “Very few people pay the full value.”
Sullivan said the average financial aid package for students was about $5,700 for 2010.
Economics professor Bill Crowder said there is no correlation between the economy, interest rates and tuition in the short-run.
Demand for education is increasing because the value of a college education is high, which increases demand for resources and causes the cost to increase.
“Look at college education as a form of investment,” he said. “Students borrow money because they know in the long run, they can pay it back and get a job where they can make more money.”
