Increase in tuition, CEU projected to see raise

This archived article was written by: Mike Overson

Everyone hates the word increase when it involves expenses. It is no surprise when the Board of Regents approved a preliminary plan to increase first-tier tuition by at least 4 but not exceeding 5.4, percent those footing the bill were not excited. Although the increases may be higher the plans will not be finalized until March. According to an article published Oct 27, 2007 in the Salt Lake Tribune.
Before mass rioting occurs, the real implications of that increase need to be looked at. First, there are two tiers you must be familiar with when talking about tuition. That first tier provides money for insurance and benefits as well as other things for staff and faculty. The second tier deals with money for institution priority, mainly increases to salaries for professors.
The proposed increase only deals with the first tier. College of Eastern Utah last year did receive a second-tier increase in tuition. One-way to make sense of this new proposal and understand what exactly it means was made easy by Kevin Walthers, vice president for finance and administration. For every state- run college, the state pays a percentage of the costs of operation. CEU is currently paying 20 percet of its total operating cost. Utah takes care of the other 80 percent. With that in mind, if CEU has a cost of $1,000 and there is a .04 percent increase than the amount needed would be $40. Of that $40, CEU would have to come up with $8 while the state pays the other $32. Also the state has set a cap on what the total cost that each institution having to pay will be 25 percent. Those schools above the cap will maintain their upkeep and those schools below the number will not ever have to rise above the 25 percent cap.
CEU, with its low tuition, will have the biggest overall jump in tuition costs but the actual numbers are easier to understand than percents.