College students work hard to stay within their budgets, and the Utah Board of Regents is making those budgets even tighter.
The Utah Board of Regents gathered after the legislative session ended to decide what to do with its new budget. Concerns were raised that the budget isn’t big enough. To help solve the issue, the Board is raising tuition rates. Students at all state schools will see their tuition go up starting next fall. These increases will cover mandated costs as well as staff raises.
“There has been a lot of conversation (about) higher tuition costs and how college is getting very expensive, but we think it’s a worthwile investment,” Pam Silberman, communications director for the Board of Regents, said.
Most state schools will see a 5 percent hike in their rates, but Utah Valley University and Salt Lake Community College will face a 6 percent increase.
Jennie Moody’s parents pay her tuition, but she is still worried about making ends meet.
“It’s going to (cause) a little bit of an extra strain. I mean, I didn’t know it happened, so they (her parents) are going to be a little bit surprised too,” says Moody.
According to the Board of Regents, this will be the smallest tuition increase in a decade, and Silberman said education in Utah is of good value compared to the rest of the nation. The Board said it realizes the struggle students face to pay for school, so to try and defer some of those costs, the Board is raising the amount that some scholarships are worth.
