Faced with another tuition increase, students from Arizona’s three public universities say state lawmakers need to provide more funding.
Arizona State University, the University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University are proposing raising tuition and fees for 2007-08 by 5.5 percent to more than 10 percent.
University officials cite higher costs, the need to pay for technology and other upgrades through fees and efforts to improve quality and financial aid.
During recent night’s hearings, some students said the tuition hike is the latest in a string of increases over the past five years.
“Students are simply fed up with this,” said Uven Chong, a 21-year-old junior at ASU.
The Arizona Students’ Association, with the backing of several student organizations statewide, has called instead for a 2.3 percent increase and for state lawmakers to boost the universities’ funding 12 percent.
Failing that, members of the student association said they could support a 7 percent tuition increase.
Vote coming Nov. 30
The Arizona Board of Regents will vote on the issue Nov. 30.
The largest proposed increases are at ASU, which wants to raise annual tuition and fees for full-time undergraduates at its Tempe and downtown Phoenix campuses by 9.1 percent, to $5,111.
The costs at ASU West and Polytechnic campuses would increase 10.4 percent, to $4,905.
The University of Arizona proposed hiking tuition and fees 7.7 percent, to $5,122.
Northern Arizona University recommended an 8.4 percent rise, to $4,929.
Chris Gustafson, president of the undergraduate government senate at ASU, said he plans to lobby lawmakers for more funding, which he said would help students balance jobs and schoolwork.
If more state money is provided, Mr. Gustafson said “many student will not have to choose between studying and working a second shift.”