Students will be affected by a three percent tuition increase in the upcoming summer semester. The increase means students will pay approximately $89 more in tuition per academic year, or $49 per semester. All University of Louisiana System schools will be affected by the increase. These schools include Southeastern Louisiana University, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Grambling State University, Louisiana Tech University, McNeese State University, Northwestern State University, University of Louisiana at Monroe and Nicholls.

According to a recent Advocate publication, the UL System officials said that, while no one enjoys boosting tuition, the increases are the minimum needed to combat rising costs. The increase will help rising funds of supplies and equipment used on university campuses.

Students are most concerned about scholarships covering the rising tuition cost. According to System officials, TOPS will presumably cover the three percent increase. Tuition Opportunity Program for Students, Louisiana’s college scholarship program, currently pays for approximately 400,000 students’ tuitions that qualify.

“I don’t mind the increase if it goes to a decent cause,” Kristen Turnage, mass communication sophomore from Metairie, said. “I know my scholarship will pay for it, so it really doesn’t bother me.”

Other students are somewhat more concerned about the tuition increase.

“When is this cost rising going to stop?” Rebecca Fontenot, psychology sophomore from Houma, said. “It seems like everywhere you turn there’s an increase here or another fee there.”

Despite what many students feel, the UL System said that the average annual resident tuition and fees at a UL System university would now be raised to $3,046. That cost is almost 24 percent below the tuition of the southeastern region universities system.