Tuesday's trustee meeting will decide tuition

Over the past several weeks, tuition raises, program cuts and spending freezes have become hotly debated issues at UConn. On March 10, the Board of Trustees will determine tuition for next year.

With Connecticut facing a $922 million budget deficit for 2009, Gov. M. Jodi Rell has introduced cuts and spending freezes to combat the deficit. The state deficit is projected to rise to $2.9 billion in 2010 and to $3.1 billion in 2011.

This year, state funding to UConn was cut by 3 percent, totaling $12.1 million. A proposed budget plan released by Rell on Feb. 4 called for a 5 percent cut for the next two years, which would equate to $34 million in 2010 and $50 million in 2011. In order to overcome these cuts, University President Michael Hogan proposed an 8.67 percent increase in tuition, raising tuition by $624 annually for resident students and $1,900 for out-of-state students. His plan is designed to reduce layoffs and program cuts.

In a campus survey conducted on the potential increases, 95 percent of students agreed with Hogan's proposed 8.67 percent when given four options, detailing various levels of cuts and their potential results.

Rell, however, does not favor a tuition increase; she believes that there are plenty of excesses in the university's budget that can be cut, according to Rich Harris, spokesman for the governor.

"Money spent on unnecessary equipment, catering, furnishing, cell phones and cars can all be cut back," Harris said. He also said the governor has "not cut a dime out of tuition assistance programs."

At an open meeting on Feb. 24, Lisa Troyer, senior associate to Hogan and chief of staff, described the situation as "a balance between cuts and tuition increases, where finding the right balance is important."

In the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, signed into law on Feb. 17 by Barack Obama, an unprecedented amount of money is set to flow into the state governments. In Connecticut, $2.97 billion in direct assistance will go to residents, according to Sen Christopher Dodd. Of that, $443.5 million will go to state stabilization, designed to prevent teacher layoffs and education funding cuts. Also, federal Pell Grants will be increased at the maximum level by $500 annually.

This influx of money comes at a time when many students are struggling to pursue higher education. "The doors of opportunity are closing for many students who wish to purse higher education," said U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-2). Courtney described the purpose of the Recovery Act as "to prevent education in the state from getting butchered."

Besides the Recovery Act's increase on Federal Pell Grants, Courtney detailed the federal government's plan to set a budget for Pell Grants that accounts for inflation.

"From 2000 until 2006, the Pell Grants were frozen, while the price of tuition increased by 40 percent," Courtney said.

The new plan will adjust grants to accommodate for inflated tuitions, as well as increase the amount of money available for Stafford Loans. The federal administration also plans to increase lending to students by lending directly to them, avoiding a third party lender.

"From a taxpayer standpoint, this will stretch money and enable more to go directly to students by avoiding higher interest rates," Courtney said.

In another change designed to streamline the FAFSA process, Education Secretary Arnie Duncan has introduced a simplified process. When taxes are turned in, a small box will be checked in order to apply for financial aid, as opposed to the current, more cumbersome application.

New programs are designed to help students entering higher education from high school. Hogan introduced the G.A.P., or Guaranteed Admissions Program, last year. It consists of a partnership between the university and community colleges around the state, in which a student enters a community college with a UConn. Upon completion of the two years following an advised plan of study, the student is guaranteed admission into the university.

"The problem has been with the transition into UConn," Troyer said. "Students tend to form groups and relationships in their first two years, and transfer students don't feel like they are a part of the community."

She described the need for more support in order to ease the transition.

Along with education financial assistance increases, school construction is also included in the Recovery Plan to improve schools.

"You talk about shovel-ready projects," said State Representative Denise Merrill, "I helped author the UConn2000 building project in 1994. 15 years later and nothing has been done. Those buildings (Arjona and Monteith) are still standing."