Copyright Anchorage Daily News
The University of Alaska Board of Regents voted unanimously Friday to increase tuition by 4% across all its campuses. It’s the second consecutive year regents have voted to raise tuition costs. The board had originally proposed a 3% bump in tuition, but Student Regent Fernando Escobar proposed the additional 1% increase. Escobar noted there had been an effort in the Legislature to add funding to support student mental health services last session, but it didn’t succeed. Escobar’s motion directed University of Alaska President Pat Pitney to redirect the funding from the 1% increase, to mental health services for students. “Student mental health has been a request from students over the last five years across the system,” Escobar said. “I think we need to start looking at ways to support internally supporting this initiative.” Escobar and other regents suggested continuing to lobby for funding from the Legislature along with the money from the tuition increases. Regents unanimously approved Escobar’s amendment, as well as the motion to increase tuition. “Looking at the financial picture of things, I’m optimistic this legislative session, but I have to be realistic and I think this may be our best approach for right now in order to support student needs in the system,” Escobar said. The increases will generate roughly $4 million in revenue. Full-time Alaska resident students taking 12 credit hours would see about a $100 increase in tuition per year. Nonresident students in Anchorage and Fairbanks would pay about $400 more per year, although nonresident undergraduate students in Southeast will be able to pay Alaska resident rates starting next year. Pitney noted that the cost of housing and dining services for students is also set to go up. “One of my biggest principles is doing a modest amount semi-regularly so that we don’t have to do a big amount in any one given year,” Pitney said. The initial proposal cited the rising cost of energy, insurance and maintenance as justification for the 3% increase. Tuition increases are not uncommon for the university system. The average in-state University of Alaska student paid $9,512 annually for tuition last school year, which is 7% lower than the average for universities in the Western United States, according to the university. Until this school year, tuition prices had been flat at the University of Alaska Anchorage and the University of Alaska Southeast for four years, and for one year at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Regents voted last year to increase tuition by 3% for Alaska residents and 5% for nonresident students. Payton Callahan, UAA Union of Students’ government relations officer, told regents that the group had supported a 2% tuition increase, but was worried about the financial strain a 4% increase would cause for students. “Feedback overall has been generally not in favor of a tuition increase at all,” Callahan said. “Students feel that there is a lack of transparency and communication when it comes to the proposed 3% increase. And I think upping the increase to 4%, students would feel a little blindsided by that.” Regents also voted to increase pay for both union and non-union staff by 3%. The UA Board of Regents is an 11-member board responsible for managing policy for the university system. Members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Legislature. Regents serve eight-year terms, except for the student regent, who serves for two years. The next meeting will be in Dillingham on Feb. 20.
