Sun, May 11 2008
|
|
Published March 27, 2008 11:44 pm - NORMAN, Okla. — Tuition at the University of Oklahoma could increase by nearly 10 percent for the next school year if the state Legislature does not budget enough money for higher education, University of Oklahoma President David Boren said Thursday. Oklahoma: OU president says big tuition hikes possible if Legislature doesn’t act The Associated Press
NORMAN, Okla. — Tuition at the University of Oklahoma could increase by nearly 10 percent for the next school year if the state Legislature does not budget enough money for higher education, University of Oklahoma President David Boren said Thursday. He said he hopes any tuition hike will be lower “but if it’s not in double digits, it’s going to be close to it.” “One of our problems is we have no magic tricks when we do not get enough money from the state government to fund our uncontrollable costs” such as increases in health care insurance premiums and utility expenses, Boren said following a meeting of university regents. Boren said if enough state money isn’t provided, “we have to turn to tuition and fees, and then we try hard to raise scholarship money ... to help make college more affordable and help students cope with these increases in tuition.” Tuition and mandatory fees rose by 9.7 percent for in-state students and 9.9 percent for out-of-state students for this school year, the highest percentage increase for OU since regents approved a 10.7 percent hike before the 2004-05 school year. In-state tuition for 30 hours at OU now costs $5,607 a year for in-state students, which ranks the university in the bottom two among Big 12 Conference schools in tuition and mandatory fees. Tuition for students from outside Oklahoma is $14,721. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education has asked the state Legislature for $1.22 billion in state appropriations for the next fiscal year, a $145.2 million increase from the current funding for the state’s higher education system. Certified revenue estimates from the state Board of Equalization show state lawmakers will have $114 million less to spend on the total state budget than they did a year ago. Still, Boren and state higher education Chancellor Glen Johnson, who attended part of Thursday’s meeting, said they remain hopeful about the chances for increased higher education funding. “We’ve got to be realistic,” Johnson said. “Within what’s there, I think we’ll make the case that as much of that as can go for our needs ... there is not a better investment. I believe that strongly.” Boren said the reduction in available funds for the Legislature to appropriate “is a clear example of why it was wise to have a moratorium on tax cuts this year.” Boren said OU’s current campaign for scholarship money, started in the spring of 2005, has raised more than $121.6 million in total gifts and pledges, including almost $104 million in endowed commitments. The campaign’s original goal was $50 million. More than 8,500 OU students received privately funded scholarships in 2007, up from 4,630 in 2004. In other business, Boren said OU’s reforestation campaign has passed the $1 million mark. The campaign began in February, two months after a devastating ice storm hit much of Oklahoma. On OU’s Norman campus, more than 1,000 trees were lost and university officials estimate it will take $1.7 million to repair the damage. University regent Jon Stuart and his wife, Dee Dee, donated $500,000 toward the campaign. The university also expects to receive $350,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that will go toward reforestation efforts on the campus. 
•
Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.
More from the State News section
Missouri: Carnahan raises concerns as House passes voter photo IDs Kansas: Immigration issue will be back Oklahoma: Possible tornadoes leave damage in state Missouri: Lawmakers back tax breaks for Canadian airplane maker |
Print this story
E-mail this story
Post to del.icio.us
Discuss this story
 |
 |
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
 |
The Joplin Globe Publishing Company 117 East Fourth Street, Joplin, MO 64801 Using our site is your agreement to the terms and conditions. News: news@joplinglobe.com • (417)623-3480 Advertise with the Joplin Globe Copyright © 2006 The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO All rights reserved. |
Popular Business directory links - Joplin Apartments | Joplin Attorneys | Joplin Auto Dealers | Joplin Auto Parts | Joplin Auto Repair | Joplin Beauty Salons | Joplin Car Rental | Joplin Dentists | Joplin Doctors | Joplin Flowers | Joplin Hotels | Joplin Insurance | Joplin Loans | Joplin Mortgages | Joplin Movers | Joplin Pizza | Joplin Realtors | Joplin Restaurants | Joplin Storage | Joplin Tax Preparation | Joplin Travel | Joplin Featured | More...
|
|
Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. • CNHI Classified Advertising Network • CNHI News Service 
|