The Louisiana Legislature approved a tuition increase proposal before adjourning its regular session on Monday that will increase tuition at public colleges and universities by up to five percent for the next four years. House Bill 734, sponsored by Rep. Don Trahan, R-Lafayette, would allow tuition and mandatory fees at state colleges and universities to be increased by three, four or five percent each year to compete with the average tuition of similar institutions in the Southern Regional Education Board.
The bill has been sent to the desk of Gov. Bobby Jindal and is awaiting his signature.
The percentage of the increase will be based on how far below the institution’s tuition and mandatory fees are in comparison to the average of similar institutions.
According to Associate Provost Larry Howell, tuition and fees at Nicholls would increase by five percent in the first year as outlined in the guidelines of the proposal.
Beginning with fall 2008, students can expect to see an increase of almost $90 to their tuition and fees.
The bill is estimated to raise $27 million for state colleges and universities in the first year.
The increase will give the University the flexibility to do some things, Howell said.
One of the things the University would be able to do is offer more need and merit based scholarships with the money generated by the tuition increase, Howell said.
The tuition increases for fall 2009 through fall 2011 will be determined on a yearly basis by a formula developed by the Board of Regents, which is the governing body of higher education statewide. The increases must also receive the approval of the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget.
The bill passed the House on June 9 by a vote of 83-18, after the proposal failed by two votes on June 2.
The Senate approved House Bill 734 on June 18 by a vote of 27-8.
According to the Associated Press, Louisiana is the only state in the nation that requires a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to increase tuition.
The AP reported that supporters of the bill said the tuition increase is needed to attract faculty, update facilities and offer a quality education to students. The tuition increase will help colleges and universities keep up with and compete against other institutions in the South.
Opponents said many students can’t afford a tuition increase and argued the state should provide more funding to colleges and universities instead.
According to Howell, the bill had the support of the Student Government Association.
Former SGA President Olinda Ricard spoke before a legislative committee along with other student government presidents from across the state in support of the tuition increase, Howell said.
