PA. approves tuition increases of 25% for fulltime students at some state-owned Universities

[JPZenger]

Last edited Sun Jan 25, 2015, 07:38 PM - Edit history (2)

This is part of the State's "experiments" in tuition. At some universities, full time students will be charged per credit, with the end result that a student taking a full-time load of 15 credits will see an increase of up to 25%. Some of the increases will be phased in, and not every state-owned university is currently part of the experiment.

http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/01/more_tuition_experiments_being.html#incart_river

http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2015/01/23/Stealth-tuition-hike-IUP-creatively-packages-a-double-digit-increase/stories/201501230049

One of the affected universities is Indiana, which is the largest. If a student takes a regular full time course load of 15 credits, they will have to pay an average of 17% more in tuition than they pay this year, which would increase to a total of 25% in the 2nd year.

If that student tries to take 18 credits, they will pay up to 50% more than they pay this year. Under the current system (like many colleges), a student pays the same tuition whether they take 12 to 18 credits per semester.

Part of the problem is that big increases in tuition at the state owned universities during the Corbett years (because of Corbett's budget cuts) have caused drops in enrollment. Now, the plan is to keep increasing tuition to make up for the reduced number of students. What could possibly go wrong with that plan?

[villager]

1. I'm sure Republicans aren't against *this*

Just don't try making college more affordable!

[blkmusclmachine]

4. Keep 'em dumb, armed, and Republican.

[Curmudgeoness]

2. Holy crap!

As if PA colleges are not too expensive already! I don't disagree with a per credit charge, especially a lot of my life I had to take just one or two classes a semester and that really hurt the wallet, I don't see why there should be such a high cost per credit to increase full time tuition by 25%.

Are they really trying to keep poor and middle class kids from getting too educated?

[whereisjustice]

3. Jesus, why are we fucking over our children?

[left-of-center2012]

5. And enslaving them .....

.... to a lifetime of repaying student loans.

[malthaussen]

6. Because we have a plan.

1) Make a college degree virtually mandatory for any job more rewarding than flipping burgers. Note that it is the degree that is mandatory, education in other than technical specialities is both unnecessary and undesireable.
2) Since the degree is mandatory, we can now charge through the nose in order for people to buy one. And charge interest, too.
3) Roll in the dough as we reel in the dough. Capitalism is good, when you're the capitalist.
4) And if you think this sucks, wait until we totally contol all education! There's beaucoup bucks to be made!

-- Mal

[JPZenger]

7. Exactly the wrong direction - harms 4 and 5 year graduation rates

This is exactly what should not be done. It is widely recognized that the 4 year (and 5 and 6 year) graduation rates are way too low at many colleges. Some colleges (such as Temple U) are doing everything they can to increase it. They say the need to take a 5th year to graduate is the primary reason for outrageous student debt - particularly because many aid programs are only good for the first 4 years, so the 5th year is all debt. Few families have saved any money for a 5th year of college.

However, the PA. state-owned universities are making it harder to afford to be a full-time student or to take an extra class.

If a student takes only 12 credits, they pay the same as they now pay for 15 credits. If they take a regular load of 15 credits, they pay 25% more than they now pay. If they try to take an extra class to total 18 credits, they have to pay 50% more than they now pay.

In comparison, at many other colleges (including where my kids attend), a student pays the same tuition whether they take 12 to 18 credits. This encourages a student to take as many credits as they can handle.

[JPZenger]

8. For full-time undrgrd students, tuition has already increased 25% this yr at Millersville & Clarion

http://www.millersville.edu/bursar/tuition-fees/index.php

For a PA. resident taking a standard 15 credits (which is needed to graduate within 4 years), the tuition has already increased 25% in the last year.

The required tuition and fees are now $10,300 a year at Millersville, plus $10K a year for on-campus housing and meals, plus $1K books plus living expenses.

This same system is in place at Clarion, and now will be in effect at Indiana and Bloomsburg.

Is it any wonder that the 4 year graduation rates at many of these PA. universities are so low? Clarion, which is one of the universities with the increased tuition only has 28% of its students graduating in 4 years, while Indiana U. only has 31%.

http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/professionals/four-year-graduation-rates-for-four-year-colleges.pdf


http://articles.philly.com/2014-09-30/news/54442122_1_graduation-rate-brogan-slippery-rock

Excerpt:

The system's most recent records show just 37 percent of students graduate in four years, with 55 percent graduating in six years. Rates vary greatly among the colleges.

Slippery Rock has the best four-year graduation rate, with nearly 50 percent of its students finishing, while Cheyney, a historically black university in Chester and Delaware Counties, had the worst, just 11 percent. West Chester's rate is 44 percent.

----
For many students, the worst scenario they can be in involves racking up lots of debt, and still not having a diploma.

[LynneSin]

9. Tom Corbett - the gift that will keep on giving, like a bad case of Herpes

[JPZenger]

10. Kutztown U. is about to move forward on this 25% tuition increase too

http://www.ragingchickenpress.org/2015/02/20/passhes-new-tuition-schemes-to-increase-costs-to-students/#prettyPhoto