Regents to Consider Tuition, Fee Changes

All three state universities are asking for approval to charge students an "economic recovery surcharge" to help offset substantial state budget cuts to higher education this year.

Tuition and fees will top the agenda when the Arizona Board of Regents meets on The University of Arizona campus this Thursday and Friday. The board is slated to consider possible fee increases, tuition surcharges and a measure that would remove current limitations on how much the state's three public universities can increase tuition and fees in the face of budget constraints.

The Arizona State University System sustained a $50 million state budget cut in the beginning of fiscal year 2009 and an additional midyear cut of $141.5 million. The three state universities are seeking additional revenue through tuition and fees.    

The UA, Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University have each asked the board to approve an "economic recovery surcharge" to be paid by students in addition to regular tuition and fees for the 2009-2010 school year. The UA has asked for a $1,100 annual surcharge, $550 per semester. The surcharge would be reviewed annually to determine whether it should be continued, according to a memo from UA president Robert N. Shelton. ASU has asked for $1,200 annually and NAU $350 annually. 

ASU and NAU are also requesting increases to mandatory fees for all students. While the UA has not requested an across-the-board fee increase, it will ask the board to approve the following differential tuition and special program fees in the College of Nursing:

• Implementation of a fixed cost of $28,000, including tuition and fees, for the 14-month accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program, offered to college graduates. Currently, all students in the program are fully sponsored by Tucson-area hospitals in return for two to three-year employment commitments. However, economic conditions have impacted hospital sponsors' abilities to financially support the number of students required to maintain an "efficient and productive accelerated program," thereby necessitating the development of a fixed cost model, according to materials provided to the regents.
• A new undergraduate differential tuition fee of $1,000 per semester for students enrolled in the traditional, four-semester Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program.
• An increase of the special program fee for Doctor of Nursing Practice and the College of Nursing's doctoral program from $2,000 per semester to $2,600 per semester.

The Board of Regents also will vote on a proposed exception to ABOR policies mandating that resident student fees are set at a level that allows universities to maintain a position in the top of the lower one-third of rates set by the 50 senior public universities.  

If approved, the proposed one-year exception would allow the board to set undergraduate resident base tuition and mandatory fees in amounts that exceed the top of the bottom one-third through June 30, 2010. The exception will expire June 30, 2010, unless the board takes further action.

Regents will vote on a similar one-year exception that would allow the College of Medicine to set tuition at an amount that exceeds the top of the bottom one-third of rates set by all other state-supported colleges of medicine for resident fees.

Provided the exception passes, the UA will request a College of Medicine tuition increase that would set tuition at $21,618 for all medical students in the 2009-2010 academic year – an increase of between $1,450 and $3,420, depending on a student's graduating class.

The board also will be asked to approve the academic strategic plans for the state's three universities. Each school's plan should include an inventory of degree programs that are expected to be planned, implemented, merged with other programs, or eliminated, as well as information on anticipated academic organizational changes for the upcoming year. A number of reorganizations approved by the UA's Faculty Senate this month will be up for approval, including the creation of 12 new schools and departments and the elimination of 19 degree programs.  

Other items on the ABOR agenda include:

• The board will be asked to approve a proposed new policy authorizing university presidents and the board's executive director to develop and implement furlough plans. In a special meeting in January, the board authorized its executive director and the three university presidents to implement furloughs in response to 2009-2010 budget constraints. The proposed new policy would define a process for future furlough authorizations. Some of the guidelines included in the new policy would require that any proposed furlough plan be approved by the board's Human Resources Committee and would expressly prohibit employees from receiving vacation or sick leave pay during a furlough period. The policy would also allow employee compensation levels or employment categories be taken into account in establishing the number of required furlough days. Information about furloughs at the UA is available on the Human Resources Web site. 
• The UA will request a contract extension and pay raise for head football coach Mike Stoops. The coach's multiple-year employment contract, set to expire Dec. 31, 2010, would be extended for an additional three years, through Jan. 31, 2014. Stoops is currently paid a base salary of $385,288 for duties related to coaching the football team, plus an additional $300,000 annually for "performance of peripheral and related duties." The UA is asking to increase his salary to $500,000 in both categories, resulting in a total compensation package of $1 million a year. His base salary would increase by an additional $100,000 each year of the contract. The salary is paid entirely through revenue generated by Arizona Athletics.