Nicholls students are likely to face a tuition increase next fall, Damian Breaux, Student Government president, said after attending a Student Advisory Council meeting with University of Louisiana System officials.”We are at the point where we can either cut things that are very important or increase tuition,” Breaux said.
A tuition increase may be necessary for most universities since Governor Kathleen Blanco asked higher education to make cuts in their budget by $18 million this upcoming fiscal year and as much as $35 million next year.
Right now the cost of in state tuition is $1,619.95, and out of state tuition is $4,343.95 for undergraduate students with 12 or more hours.
“Tuition increases have become outrageous because it will be way too much, and all I have is the minimal TOPS,” Elise Utley, vocal music education sophomore from Thibodaux, said. “My sister and I are both in college, so that will require my parents to pay more money.”
The financial aid office said students receiving Pell grants most likely will not be affected because the amount of money that students receive is figured through the family expected contributions and income. Colette Lagarde, director of financial aid, said the amount of money students receive from the state “should be included in students’ cost of attendance.”
“The only money that I have is my refund check, so if tuition goes up I’m going to have to pay with that, and that would take away from other things I need, like books and school supplies,” Kayla Dupre, psychology freshman from Krotz Springs, said.
Act 1117 passed in 2001 allows tuition to be raised by 3 percent per year until July 2005. A new policy has been approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors that could allow the 3 percent cap on tuition raises per year to be replaced with a 5 percent cap for their system.
According to Catherine Heitman of the University of Louisiana System, a raise in the cap of tuition “is not something the ULS is considering.” This policy has not yet been voted on by the State Board of Regents or the Legislature. A two-thirds vote of approval on the state Legislature is needed to raise the cap in tuition
If this policy goes into effect and Nicholls decides to raise the tuition there is a possibility that TOPS will be affected even though it never has been before. There are 1,443 students at Nicholls who received TOPS at the beginning of this semester.
“If it’s mandated by the state, TOPS has always covered it,” Amanda Freemin, assistant director of financial aid in charge of scholarships, said. “I would venture to say they probably would cover it.”
If Nicholls decides to raise its tuition students should be able to find out over the summer months by tuning into news stations or reading local newspapers.
