URI not to blame
Issue date: 10/16/09 Section: Editorial/Opinion
10/16/09 - On Monday, Oct. 5, the Board of Governors for Higher Education voted to increase tuition for state schools, raising the University of Rhode Island tuition by 9.9 percent and room and board by 5 percent.
Before URI students get angry at the university, they should remember that the state is responsible for the increases, not URI.
The tuition increases at URI are influenced by reduced state appropriations. When the state appropriations are lowered, URI is forced to raise tuition.
But through the increases, URI's main goal is still to do what's best for its students, and the university will continue to allocate money toward student-oriented projects.
For example, URI's Graduate program will award a total of $40,000 to assist in graduate student education and work. In addition, the university's wireless internet will also undergo changes expected next fall.
URI has also been renovating the campus. Finishing the renovations to Lippitt Hall last October, the university has been making improvements to the Visitor's Center on top of campus.
Additional changes are expected at the Robert L. Carothers Library. The library will be extending its weekday hours from 11:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. by the end of the month and has plans to add a library common scheduled to be finished by the fall of 2011.
All of these changes are designed to help improve the student experience, making sure the proper resources are ready and available. Though increases in tuition are unsettling, the raised rates were necessary to provide students with everything they need.
Students should remember that they are still considered the No. 1 concern at the university and every change URI makes is for them. But changes require money, and with the lowered state appropriations, increasing tuition is necessary.
Students should also recognize that tuitions nationwide are being increased, and sometimes the increases in other states are higher. According to the New York Times Web site, tuition for the 10 University of California campuses could increase by 32 percent by the fall 2010 semester.
The 9.9 percent increase at URI is much smaller than that. URI students have every right to be upset about another increase in tuition. No one wants tuition to go up; however, it is something that inevitably happens, but students should not blame URI.
Before URI students get angry at the university, they should remember that the state is responsible for the increases, not URI.
The tuition increases at URI are influenced by reduced state appropriations. When the state appropriations are lowered, URI is forced to raise tuition.
But through the increases, URI's main goal is still to do what's best for its students, and the university will continue to allocate money toward student-oriented projects.
For example, URI's Graduate program will award a total of $40,000 to assist in graduate student education and work. In addition, the university's wireless internet will also undergo changes expected next fall.
URI has also been renovating the campus. Finishing the renovations to Lippitt Hall last October, the university has been making improvements to the Visitor's Center on top of campus.
Additional changes are expected at the Robert L. Carothers Library. The library will be extending its weekday hours from 11:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. by the end of the month and has plans to add a library common scheduled to be finished by the fall of 2011.
All of these changes are designed to help improve the student experience, making sure the proper resources are ready and available. Though increases in tuition are unsettling, the raised rates were necessary to provide students with everything they need.
Students should remember that they are still considered the No. 1 concern at the university and every change URI makes is for them. But changes require money, and with the lowered state appropriations, increasing tuition is necessary.
Students should also recognize that tuitions nationwide are being increased, and sometimes the increases in other states are higher. According to the New York Times Web site, tuition for the 10 University of California campuses could increase by 32 percent by the fall 2010 semester.
The 9.9 percent increase at URI is much smaller than that. URI students have every right to be upset about another increase in tuition. No one wants tuition to go up; however, it is something that inevitably happens, but students should not blame URI.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Chris
posted 10/19/09 @ 10:14 AM EST
URI was not forced to raise tuition. They have a choice. They could stop spending instead. The amount of new construction on campus is shocking, considering the economic state we are in. (Continued…)
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