The University of Louisiana system has approved a $90 charge per hour over 8 hours for 8 institutions. People are griping. Should we remind them that Tech is still one of the best on the country as far as bang for your buck?
The University of Louisiana system has approved a $90 charge per hour over 8 hours for 8 institutions. People are griping. Should we remind them that Tech is still one of the best on the country as far as bang for your buck?
Every ULS school except for Nicholls proposed fee increases that the ULS just approved last week. With Tech being on the quarter system, our's was the first to really get noticed by students. Each school's fee increase is unique to that institution. Tech's is structured similarly to ULM's in that they are fees per credit hour that exceed the full-time minimum. At ULL, it's an $18.59 fee for every credit hour, which is about $560 for a student taking 30 hours during the year.
The blame rests with the state politicians who have cut higher ed so much over the last decade that our universities are nearly operating as private schools but at a fraction of the cost compared to what private school students have to pay in tuition and fees. They need to write the governor and their state senators and congressmen, and don't vote for statutory dedications when they are on the ballot. Tech and all the other schools had to find a way to pay the bills because the State support is so little.
As recently as 2006, the split for state schools was 80% taxpayer supported, 20% self supported. Now, it has flipped, most public colleges in Louisiana are now 80% self-sufficient. Some are even "better" than that. Some, not so much....like Grambling.
This is a GREAT thing! Thanks to Guvnar Bobby Jindal. He stopped kicking the can down the road, and made the universities get off their sorry asses and hustle for a change. And looky here, it has worked. That is NOT the problem. The question ALL we Louisiana taxpayers have to ask, whether you are an (R) or a (D), is okay, so....what happened to all those many $millions that used to go to the universities, where did it go? We're till paying state income tax at the same rate, same volume, there should have been, should be, a pool of money that can be pointed to. The average budget for a state college is close to $40 million annually, something like that. I used to know all this stuff. Anyway, assuming that figure, with 15 colleges, that's a flip, a savings to the state of $360 million annually. Where does that money go now?
Consider: A typical band student’s scholarship for participating in the winter concert band will be $100 (additional to the $400 already entitled to them for marching band). Band is a 1 hour class. This fee can basically erase their $100 bump.
Okay, so I was wrong. Reaction to these incremental increases or student activity fees or parking pass increase in previous years was, “tough titty.” I guess not anymore. Could they have waited until the spring or next fall, I guess so.
As a student parent I have mixed feelings about the Fee, it does stretch my already tight budget. I am glad to see that Tech does a good job with what state monies they do get and I do realize that Tech is definitely worth the money and is an extremely good value. However, it angers me that Tech is having to raise fees and basically get punished for doing a good job while other universities are simply a money pit.
The increase is sudden and unexpected, The State politicians need to stop using education as their go to source when they run short in other areas.
That's a huge fee.
I think we can kiss an athletic fee goodbye for the next few years at least....