Arizona University Leaders Want Tuition Increases Again

March 21, 2016 ADI Staff Reporter

It is that time of year again when the highly-paid leaders of Arizona’s three public universities announce that they want to raise students’ tuition. Tuition proposals for the 2016-17 academic year were released last week by the presidents of Arizona State University, University of Arizona, and Northern Arizona University.

“All three of our universities have been engaged with their teams and the board over the past six years in an intensive, ongoing effort to find cost savings, establish and grow other sources of revenue, and evolve their financial models. At the same time, we are working toward ever-improving academic quality and student experience. The state’s part and partnership, not only as a funder but as a collaborator in this work, will be critically important this year and in years to come,” said Jay Heiler, Chairman of the Arizona Board of Regents, in a statement released last week.

Arizona’s regents have complained about cuts in education funding over the years, however, normalized data shows that the Board of Regents, ASU East Campus and UA HSC have experienced increased funding.

ASU proposal:

Last year, ASU leadership enacted a $320 surcharge to all resident students. ASU proposes reducing the surcharge by $50 to $270. The remainder of the surcharge will be kept in place until at least FY18. ASU leadership also is proposing to increase base tuition. For resident students (undergraduate and graduate), the increase proposed is $200 for the year. For non-resident and international undergraduate students the increase is $1,000 for the year. For non-resident and international graduate students the increase is $1,100 for the year.

UA proposal:

  • For entering freshmen, the cost of the four-year guarantee including mandatory fees and tuition together will be higher than last year by 3.20% ($366) for residents and 7.20% ($2,337) for non-residents. By definition, this cost will not increase over the four years of the guarantee.
  • For current undergraduate students who chose not to opt into the guarantee program (around 22% of undergraduate students), the change in mandatory fees and tuition together will be a 2.80% ($299) increase for residents and a 5.80% ($1,745) increase for non-residents.
  • For graduate students the change in mandatory fees and tuition together will be a 2.80% ($355) increase for residents and a 5.80% ($1,765) increase for non-residents. A pilot tuition guarantee program was offered last year to selected Master’s degree students at the request of student leadership. No students chose to enroll in this program.

The 2.80% increase in tuition and fees for students who chose not to opt-in to the guaranteed tuition program will amount to a total of $2.6 million in revenue change. For the 78% of continuing students who are enrolled in the tuition guarantee plan, there is no change in tuition and the University will gain no new revenue per student FTE.

Any other increase in tuition revenue will not come from an increase in tuition rate but from enrollment growth or a change in the mix of resident and non-resident students.

NAU proposal:

Flagstaff campus

  • New resident undergraduate students: $10,764
  • New nonresident undergraduate students: $24,144
  • Resident graduate students: $9,989 ($383 increase)
  • Nonresident graduate students: $21,976 ($732 increase)
  • Western Undergraduate Exchange Program students: $15,637 ($548 increase)

NAU-Yuma

  • Resident undergraduate students: $7,508 ($330 increase)
  • Nonresident undergraduate students: $20,410 ($706 increase)

Extended Campus sites (including online)

  • Resident undergraduate students: $7,647 ($333 increase)
  • Nonresident undergraduate students: $20,411 ($705 increase)
  • Resident graduate students: $9,379 ($383 increase)
  • Nonresident graduate students: $21,366 ($732 increase)

Personalized Learning 

  • Personalized Learning: $3,000/six-month period ($500 increase)

NAU-Yavapai

  • Resident undergraduate students: $5,843 ($281 increase)
  • Nonresident undergraduate students: $16,516 ($592 increase)

Mandatory fees

  • Information Technology Fee: $14 per credit hour up to 24 credits per year ($5/credit hour increase)

Undergraduate program fees

  • Geology: $700/semester for three semesters (replaces up to $1,820 in course fees)
  • Hotel and Restaurant Management: $290/semester beginning the first semester of junior year (replaces up to $750 in course fees)
  • Nursing Accelerated Program – Post-baccalaureate: $800/semester for three semesters ($267/semester increase, replaces $300 in course fees)
  • Nursing: $600/semester for four semesters ($200/semester increase, replaces $600 in course fees)
  • Nursing RN to BSN: $10/credit hour (replaces $150 in course fees)

Graduate program fees
Master’s

  • Athletic Training
  • Clinical Speech – Language Pathology: $40/credit hour ($10/credit hour increase)
  • Global Business Administration at Yuma: $6,000 for new program at NAU-Yuma (total program fee divided among four core courses)
  • Public Administration: $1,500 (total program fee divided among five core courses)
  • Physician Assistant Program: Increase to $14,000/year ($1000/year increase)
  • Nursing and post-graduate Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate: Increase to $60/credit hour ($20/credit hour increase, replaces $265 in course fees)

Doctoral

  • Nursing Practice: Increase to $60/credit hour ($20/credit hour increase)

From the Joint Legislative Budget Council:

FY 2015 Appropriations Report – Northern Arizona University

Appropriations – Northern Arizona UniversityACTUAL FY 2014ESTIMATE FY 2015APPROVED FY 2015
FUND SOURCES
General Fund104,887,800109,245,000118,281,200
Other Appropriated Funds
University Collections Fund107,409,100120,281,100120,281,100
SUBTOTAL – Other Appropriated Funds107,409,100120,281,100120,281,100
SUBTOTAL – Appropriated Funds212,296,900229,526,100238,562,300
Other Non-Appropriated Funds179,638,100188,657,700191,057,600
Federal Funds73,120,10073,851,50074,589,800
TOTAL – ALL SOURCES465,055,100492,035,300504,209,700
OPERATING SUBTOTAL198,658,500212,283,800212,783,800
AGENCY TOTAL212,296,900229,526,100238,562,300

FY 2015 Appropriations Report – Tempe/DPC

FY 2015 Appropriations – Tempe/DPCACTUAL FY 2014ESTIMATE FY 2015APPROVED FY 2015
FUND SOURCES
General Fund255,735,200270,228,200290,104,300
Other Appropriated Funds
University Collections Fund428,119,300453,068,700453,068,700
SUBTOTAL – Other Appropriated Funds428,119,300453,068,700453,068,700
SUBTOTAL – Appropriated Funds683,854,500723,296,900743,173,000
Other Non-Appropriated Funds702,533,700771,066,800837,962,800
Federal Funds266,869,100279,165,300288,448,000
TOTAL – ALL SOURCES1,653,257,3001,773,529,0001,869,583,800
OPERATING SUBTOTAL555,582,500576,558,500578,558,500
AGENCY TOTAL683,854,500723,296,900743,173,000

FY 2015 Appropriations Report – ASU – East Campus

FY 2015 Appropriations – ASU – East CampusACTUAL FY 2014ESTIMATE FY 2015APPROVED FY 2015
FUND SOURCES
General Fund20,656,20022,704,20025,853,400
Other Appropriated Funds
Technology and Research Initiative Fund2,000,0002,000,0002,000,000
University Collections Fund31,547,50033,691,70033,691,700
SUBTOTAL – Other Appropriated Funds33,547,50035,691,70035,691,700
SUBTOTAL – Appropriated Funds54,203,70058,395,90061,545,100
Other Non-Appropriated Funds10,862,90018,273,60018,634,300
Federal Funds4,964,5005,667,9005,850,000
TOTAL – ALL SOURCES70,031,10082,337,40086,029,400
OPERATING SUBTOTAL49,537,80051,981,10051,981,100
AGENCY TOTAL54,203,70058,395,90061,545,100

FY 2015 Appropriations Report – ASU – West Campus

FY 2015 Appropriations ASU – West CampusACTUAL FY 2014ESTIMATE FY 2015APPROVED FY 2015
FUND SOURCES
General Fund33,133,90033,328,10033,328,100
Other Appropriated Funds
Technology and Research Initiative Fund1,600,0001,600,0001,600,000
University Collections Fund37,054,20039,380,30039,380,300
SUBTOTAL – Other Appropriated Funds38,654,20040,980,30040,980,300
SUBTOTAL – Appropriated Funds71,788,10074,308,40074,308,400
Other Non – Appropriated Funds10,613,60021,168,90021,683,800
Federal Funds11,409,50012,587,50013,003,900
TOTAL – ALL SOURCES93,811,200108,064,800108,996,100
OPERATING SUBTOTAL70,188,10072,708,40072,708,400
AGENCY TOTAL71,788,10074,308,40074,308,400

FY 2015 Appropriations Report – U of A – Main Campus

FY 2015 Appropriations U of A – Main CampusACTUAL FY 2014ESTIMATE FY 2015APPROVED FY 2015
FUND SOURCES
General Fund207,555,900208,501,000209,341,200
Other Appropriated Funds
University Collections Fund267,677,300271,507,700271,507,700
SUBTOTAL – Other Appropriated Funds267,677,300271,507,700271,507,700
SUBTOTAL – Appropriated Funds475,233,200480,008,700480,848,900
Other Non-Appropriated Funds854,266,300879,757,800881,711,000
Federal Funds278,807,800290,399,200292,794,400
TOTAL – ALL SOURCES1,608,307,3001,650,165,7001,655,354,300
OPERATING SUBTOTAL406,008,300408,597,000410,597,000
AGENCY TOTAL475,233,200480,008,700480,848,900

FY 2015 Appropriations – U of A – Health Sciences Center

FY 2015 Appropriations U of A – Health Sciences CenterACTUAL FY 2014ESTIMATE FY 2015APPROVED FY 2015
FUND SOURCES
General Fund61,351,60069,585,30069,585,300
Other Appropriated Funds
University Collections Fund40,808,80041,117,00041,117,000
SUBTOTAL – Other Appropriated Funds40,808,80041,117,00041,117,000
SUBTOTAL – Appropriated Funds102,160,400110,702,300110,702,300
Other Non-Appropriated Funds176,849,300203,419,700215,490,800
Federal Funds100,898,400115,341,100123,682,600
TOTAL – ALL SOURCES379,908,100429,463,100449,875,700
OPERATING SUBTOTAL71,383,30070,153,60070,153,600
AGENCY TOTAL102,160,400110,702,300110,702,300
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