The presidents of Arizona’s three public universities released their tuition proposals, which include rate hikes, for the 2019-20 academic year on Friday. The Arizona Board of Regents will now hold a public hearing for students and the general public to comment on the tuition proposals from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2.
Proposals:
ASU –
Proposing an average increase for resident undergraduate students of 2.8 percent. Some Arizona undergraduate students will have a tuition and fee increase of slightly less than 2.8 percent, and some will have an increase of slightly greater than 2.8 percent.
There are no mandatory undergraduate fee increases.
NAU –
Proposing a 2.5 percent base tuition increase – excluding program and class fees – for new undergraduate resident and non-resident students at the Flagstaff campus and a 3 percent increase for students not on the Pledge program.
Increases in two mandatory fees are also included – a $50 increase from $500 to $550 for expansion of counseling and mental health services and a $20 increase in the Green Fee from $10 to $30 for NAU sustainability efforts.
UofA –
A 2 percent base tuition increase – excluding program and class fees – for new resident undergraduate students and a 1 percent increase for new non-resident undergraduate students is recommended. Students not in the guarantee program would see a 5 percent increase.
There are no mandatory fee increases at the UA.
As expected, Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) Chair Ron Shoopman praised the presidents and their ” their commitment to maintain affordable options for students.”
The Regents have been widely criticized for their failure to hold down costs for students over the years.
On Thursday, April 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., ABOR will host a tuition workshop where university presidents will present their proposals at the ASU Memorial Union, Turquoise Room.
On Thursday, April 11, the board is expected to set final tuition and fees for the 2019-20 academic year. The meeting will be held at the University of Arizona. Both meetings will be live-streamed.
Public comments regarding tuition and fees will not be taken at the April 4 or April 11 meetings given the statewide public hearings that will be held on April 2.
Individuals may also send comments via e-mail to the Arizona Board of Regents at tuition@azregents.edu; by regular mail, at 2020 N. Central Ave., Suite 230, Phoenix, AZ 85004; or by fax at (602) 229-2555. Comments received prior to April 8 at 5 p.m. will be shared with the regents in advance of the April 11 meeting.
In January, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit in Arizona Tax Court against ABOR, alleging that ASU misused its tax-exempt status to benefit private developers.
In 2017, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office Sued ABOR over tuition rates at ASU, UofA, and NAU claiming the rates were high enough to violate the state’s constitution.