At 3 p.m. today at the University Suite in the Union East Building, Vice President of Student Affairs Gary Edens presented a tuition increase proposal that will be implemented for the 2014-15 school year.
The tuition and fees increase was explained as a three-point plan. The first point being an overall 3 percent tuition increase across the board for in-state, out-of-state and international students.
The second point has entering new students will pay a one-time fee starting in 2014. A new student entering their first semester will play a one-time student fee: new undergraduate residents will pay $180, new undergraduate international students will pay $200, and new undergraduate transfer students will pay $150. The fee will then drop to $100 across the board for all students, from their second semester until graduation. All students that were admitted before the fall of 2014 will not have to pay the fee.
The third point of the increase is for students who have exceeded 150 credit hours. They will pay a non-resident tuition rate for any further courses. The tuition rate will change once a student has exceeded their degree requirements by 30 hours or more. This tuition increase will take place in January 2015 for spring 2015 enrollment.
During his 20-minute presentation, Edens was adamant about dispelling confusion about what student tuition and fees would pay for, most notably the large amount of construction over the past year.
“Construction projects are not coming from fee money,” Edens said. “The money is coming from external donors, grants and outside revenue sources that are going solely to that project. It is dedicated to that project and that project alone.”
Overall, the tuition increase is aimed at making UTEP a more competitive university within the state of Texas and achieving the goal of becoming a tier-one university was the consistent reason for tuition increases in Edens’ presentation.
“You always have to compete,” Edens said. “That is the situation that we are in right now. We have to stay competitive to keep the quality of education that we already have. We are going to have to make some sort of investment to become a tier-one university.”
To ask questions or seek more information on the tuition and fee increase proposal for the 2014-15 school year, email [email protected].
Javier Cortez may be reached at [email protected].
