Budget cuts have forced universities and colleges nationwide toincrease their tuition, but some schools are looking for creativeways to ease the heavier financial burdens of their students.
The University of Memphis, like many others, offers a tuitionpayment plan to students that allows them to spread the cost outover several months. Half of tuition is due at the semester'sbeginning, half of the balance is due a month later, and the finalpayment is due two months from the semester's start.
"I think The University's plan is very reasonable," saidGabrielle Maxey, U of M communications specialists.
But other universities are coming up with more unusual solutionsto the financial crisis.
The University of Oregon offers tuition breaks to students whosign up for classes outside of peak hours, said Michael Champion,staff member in the university's bursar office.
"All classes were concentrated in one time," Champion said ofthe incentives. "It was taking up class space."
This change happened after a building housing 24 classes wasdemolished, and other classes became cramped. Students save 15percent per credit hour on classes taken before 9 a.m. or after 2p.m.
Miami University in Ohio eliminated its in-state andout-of-state tuition distinctions, so all students are charged thesame non-resident fee of $18,103, according to the university's Website.
In exchange, however, all Ohio residents receive twoscholarships, one based on donations and the other based on theamount of state funding the school receives, that can be renewedeach year until graduation. The combined amount of thesescholarships for fall 2004 will be no less than $10,000 and no morethan $11,250.
"We want students to know how much or how little the state issupporting the school," said Henry Saas, associate bursar for MiamiUniversity in Ohio.
Saas said that about one-third of students actually pay lessunder this plan than under previous payment methods, and a thirdpay about the same.
David Zettergren, U of M assistant vice president of finance,said currently, the tuition payment plan is the only way to easethe financial burden of U of M students.
However, The University, he said, is always looking for new waysto help students with rising tuition. The programs in use at othercolleges would be difficult, costly, or both to implement newprograms, he said. Additionally, the Tennessee Board of Regentsmust first approve any changes The U of M makes in itspolicies.
In Tennessee, state efforts to combat rising tuitions include aTennessee Higher Education Committee mandate that within the nexttwo years, the minimum number of hours to graduate be reduced to120. Also, up to 35 percent of the profits from the lottery votedin last year will go to scholarships for students starting in fall2004. The scholarships could range from $1,500 to $4,000.
Other states have come up with different plans to deal with theincreasing cost of higher education. California is looking athigher education vouchers, which Colorado has already consideredand rejected, and Texas is considering deregulating tuition, whichtakes the power to increase tuition at state universities out ofthe hands of legislators and puts it in the hands of a board ofregents.
