PinELIE ■iiriSlrAXL. January 13, 1983
Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma
Vol. 81, No. 27
Oklahoma tuition lower regionally by Mark Spears Staff Writer The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education surveyed ten mid-western states to determine how Oklahoma's public colleges and universities compared with similiar institutions with respect to tuition, fees and other service charges. The data collected was based on the amount paid by full-time undergraduate students enrolled in 30 semester hours for two consecutive semesters during the 1981-82 academic term. Oklahoma ranked ninth in the ten-state survey with an average cost of $641 per year. Colorado had the highest costs with an average of $1,152 per student. Texas had the lowest at $429. Surveys at senior colleges, the category that includes CSU, found Oklahoma ranked seventh with an average of $450; Colorado was the highest at $783 and Texas was eighth at $392. Arizona and Iowa colleges did not report. Non-resident student costs are $1,129 in Oklahoma, $2,961 in Colorado and $1,086 in Missouri. Tuition and fee charges for residents at CSU are $445 per year ranking CSU 37th. Mesa College of Colorado was at the top of the
list at $925 per year. Charges for tuition for all nonresidents at CSU are $1,124 ranking CSU 41st compared to Adams State College in Colorado with an annual fee of $1,404. The highest tuition and fee charges paid by undergraduate non-resident students for one year were $4,039 at Colorado universities, compared to $1,709 at Oklahoma universities and $1,509 at Texas universities. Resident graduate students costs range from $1,179 at Colorado universities to $634 and $386 at Oklahoma and Texas universities, respectively. Charges for non-resident graduate students vary from $4,174 at Colorado universities compared to $1,738 at Oklahoma universities and $1,243 at Texas universities. Thirty-nine universities, 48 senior colleges and 64 public twoyear colleges in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas participated in the survey. Institutions from Oklahoma that were surveyed included 26 colleges and universities and six constituent agencies.
Vista photo by Glenda Jackson
Rising costs of a college education have created long lines outside the financial aids office. Steven Joe is one of many students seeking financial aid. Assisting him is Helen Thompson, financial aids counselor.
Regents request fee hikes by Mark Spears Staff Writer Just before the winter break, the Oklahoma State Board of Regents discussed a proposal to be sent to the legislature to revise the tuition and fee law allowing the regents to set fees on a percentage of cost basis. If the proposal passes it will mean gradual increases in tuition and fees until they reach a point where the student will be paying 25 percent of his education and the state will be paying 75 percent of the students costs, according to the newsletter published by the Regents. As of now a student pays 18 percent of the instructional costs compared to 28 percent in 1974-75. According to the regents plan,
fees will rise no more than 10 percent and tuition will rise no more than 15 percent in one year. The objective is to attain 25-75 percent ratio. When this ratio is reached, the Regents would adjust fees and tuition up or down based on the previous year's educational and general operating budget of the state system institutions. The legal definition for "fees" is any fee required to be paid as a condition of enrollment by a student in any institution of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education. The term "tuition" means payment required of an individual who is a non-resident. Tuition is payment in addition to fees. Therefore, residents of this state attending a college or univer-
In this issue... Applications due for Miss CSU . Pictorial essay on fashion show . Honor roll students named . Howard named Headliner of Year . Gridders win NAIA Championship .
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sity do not pay tuition but only pay a combination of fees. J.A. Leone, Chancellor of The Oklahoma State Board of Regents, opened the hearing, held Dec. 14, by endorsing the concept that the Regents should be allowed to increase tuition and fee charges. Leone also said there will be no increase in fees in any one year of more than 10 percent and no increase in tuition of more than 15 percent. Greg Kubiak, student body president at the University of Oklahoma, agreed with the proposal and requested an increase in student activity fees, health fees and cutbacks. Kubiak asked that the increase be spread over various activities and be no more than 10 percent over one year. David Mitchell, from the University of Oklahoma Health and Science Center, noted that the increase in costs would hurt some students because of the decrease in financial aid. Joe F. Gary, secretary of the Board of Regents, noted that anyone in Oklahoma who wanted to go to school is able to borrow the money for school. He also stated that Oklahoma and Texas have the lowest tuition and fee rates in this area. Gary said he beleived the increase will not affect enrollment. Taxpayers will do all they can and that the students
should carry their own load, he said. Jim Miller, representing Eastern Oklahoma State College, said their was a need for increases to cover building repairs and also stated that the student body approved of the increases in a campus wide meeting. The major opposition to the proposal was voiced by Mike O'Neil of Tinker Air Force Base, which has extension courses at Central State. O'Neil said students in this program are already paying more those at CSU and asked that they not be affected by the increases. Regents Vice-Chairman Eugene Swearingen claimed the higher rate was justified because of the time the instructors spend driving to TAFB from the campus. Bill Stanhope, a student at OU, cited several problems with education, including a freeze on hiring at OU. He said he realizes that tuition at Oklahoma colleges is low compared to other states but, the average student must also pay housing costs. With the increases in housing costs coupled with the rising tuition costs and the deepening recession, Stanhope said he was concerned that middle to lower class students will soon be unable to afford to attend college. Similar proposals have been made by the Regents over the past
three years and the legislature has failed to take action. Any increases will have to approved by the legislature and a public notice of 120 days must be given before the increases can take affect.
Scholarships aid students The State Board of Regents awarded $1,739,771.05 in fee waiver scholarships to 9,528 state college students for the 1982-83 school year. CSU received approximately $180,000 in scholarships which have been awarded to 730 students. "We are required to give 50 percent of the scholarships to students according to need. Approximately 60 percent were given out on this basis," said Sherri Hancock, director of financial aid. Scholarships were given to 200 freshman, 70 sophomores, 55 juniors and 45 seniors. All students received a $193 fee waiver, according to Hancock. The number of students receiving scholarships increased by 2,508 from the fall term of 1981.