Tuition raised for students

This archived article was written by: Josie Sue Slade

As other costs for students rise, tuition also faces a bump that will affect USU Eastern students. On March 27, the Utah Board of Regents approved a three percent tuition bump for all Utah public schools. USUE is among one of the schools that will raise their tuition.
Tuition for students at USUE has always been a little less than other universities in Utah. While this will remain true, tuition for fall 2015 will raise $43 when compared to the previous fall.
While $43 doesn’t seem like a lot, that leaves USUE students out money they could have used to help out towards living costs. What can you do with $40? You can fill your car tank, buy a week’s worth of groceries, buy a pair of concert tickets or get a monthly gym membership.
For students, $40 can go a long way, and this rise follows the pattern that hit Utah schools as soon as the recession hit. According to the Center on Budget and Priorities report, students are paying an average of $1,131 more a year since the recession began.
So what does that mean for Utah students?
It means that family incomes are down and students are more likely to take out a loan to pay for school. This leaves future generations more likely to increase the total debt in the United States rather than decrease it as hoped. With the added pressure of being unable to get a job unless you go to college, people are more likely to be unemployed or drown in debt in an attempt to stay employed.
While the bump isn’t a lot for students year to year, if Utah continues on the trend of raising tuition by 3 percent every few years, it will be nearly impossible for students to afford the education they need to succeed in the world.
In addition to the rising tuition rate, USUE is also bumping its student fees up by $15. Students can expect only a slight difference in the price they pay next year, but should also be aware of this change when planning to re-enroll.