University of Memphis students will face higher tuition for the2004-05 school year, but at a lower rate of change than in the pastseveral years.
The Tennessee Board of Regents voted Friday to increase tuitionat universities and community colleges governed by the TBR system,including The U of M. The tuition increases of 7 percent wereapproved 14 to 1, with student regent Matt Chapman from MiddleTennessee State University voting against the increase, said MaryMorgan, TBR information officer.
In a memo to U of M faculty and staff, president Shirley Raineswrote, "regardless of the amount of the tuition increase ... somebudget cuts will be required."
Some University administrators said they don't anticipate thisyear's cuts will be as severe as in years past.
"We'll probably not see what's happened in the past with gettingrid of whole degree programs," said Provost Ralph Faudree. "Therewill be some loss of faculty or staff."
Raines also addressed the 3 percent state-mandated employee payraise in her memo. The U of M will pay for 2 percent of the raise,with the other 1 percent will come from state funding.
The pay raise has two impacts on U of M students, saidFaudree.
"The negative impact is that we have to make operating and staffcuts to finance the raise. On the positive side, this raise willhelp us attract and retain better faculty," he said. "Qualityfaculty and staff are a big component of what gives your educationvalue."
This year's budget cuts will be made in the face of a growingstudent body, fueled in part by lottery scholarships. Increasedenrollment and staff cuts are a concern to some students.
"I hope that none of the cuts fall in my major," said MichaelClark, an incoming freshman.
Other factors may ease the effect on growing class sizes.
"One issue is that delivery of instruction is being donedifferently through larger classes. Technology is being used more,"said Faudree. "Another factor is that a large part of education istaking place outside of the classroom, though internships andresearch."
Decreased state funding for The U of M and other public schoolsis not unique to Tennessee, said Faudree.
"The general phenomenon occurring in Tennessee and the rest ofthe country is the shift of responsibility to fund higher educationmoving from the state to the individual institution," he said. "Weare approaching a 50-50 split between state resources and tuitionresources."
The increased tuition hits hard for working students who plan topay for their own education.
"Everybody who works and has to pay their own tuition willdefinitely feel the effect of that 7 percent increase," Clarksaid.
