By Samantha Biastre
The per-credit tuition model forum has been rescheduled once again.
The forum, which invites students to come and voice their opinions about the new model, was first scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 5. The date was later changed to Tuesday, March 24. Now, that forum should take place in the month of April.
Although the per credit tuition model will be discussed at the forum, the status of the university budget will also be talked about as the issue revolves around the university’s limited budget. The model is not close to being finalized, and “is still in development” according to Jerry Silberman, vice president of Administration and Finance.
The proposed model will raise the students’ tuition per credit by 13 percent of the current 2015 prices, so $800 more would be spent by students per semester. Any student who would take less than 12 credits per semester would pay less tuition, but that student would not complete their education in the intended four-year track.
Silberman said, “The model was presented as one of the ways to solve the university’s deficit and avoid further elimination of programs and services.”
A survey was sent out to students’ KU emails from Student Government Board. The student responses will be one of the
Photo courtesy of University Relations
factors that the university will consider “when making any decisions about the model going forward” said Silberman. “It is very important for us to hear what students have to say about the model.”
78 percent of students who participated in the SGB survey said that they did not agree with the model, 12 percent said that they did agree with the model and 11 percent of students said that they did not have enough information in order to make a decision.
There were many concerns that came up at the SBG meeting on Tuesday, March 24 from the board members. They voiced worries about how this model may discourage students with minors, and that education majors who are seeking dual-certifications.
The board members also talked about ways to cut back on the deficit rather than implementing this model, such as turning lights off in buildings when rooms aren’t being used and cutting back on university employees’ salaries if needed.
One positive thought that the SGB members brought up was this model would motivate students to look at their track sheets for their major more often.
SGB then had an informal vote regarding whether or not the board members agreed with the model, and most of the board disagreed.
SGB President Joe Scoboria was then going to present the board’s vote to the Council of Trustees and administration meeting that was going to happen on Thursday, March 27.
Editor’s note: The per-credit tuition model will raise students’ tuition per credit by 13 percent of the current 2015 prices, not 3 percent as mentioned in the April 2 issue of The Keystone. The article in The Keystone also mentioned that any student who would take less than 15 credits per semester would pay less tuition according to this model. The amount of credits a student would have to take to pay less tuition is actually 12. All of the information in the online version of this article is correct information.