Here's a quick reality check: This year's graduating seniors are paying 24 percent more for out-of-state tuition and a whopping 53 percent more for in-state tuition than they were upon enrolling at ASU four years ago. In dollars, in-state tuition went from $2,344 to $3,593 and out-of-state went from $9,800 to $12,113.
Modest yearly hikes to correct for inflation are one thing, but the average for an ASU senior has been 6.5 percent for out-of-state and 13.2 percent (39.1 percent last year due to a $1,010 hike across the board) for in-state students. Not exactly what we signed on for, was it?
Prices may be falling at Wal-Mart, but at ASU the only ceiling that's falling is in Social Sciences Room 229. Prices are climbing. Unlike the retail giant, ASU doesn't have the luxury of paying its employees uncompetitive wages and monopolizing higher education. Instead, annual tuition hikes have become the norm. And after the Arizona Board of Regents meets to discuss the prospect of keeping this trend alive next week, we can expect to be paying more again next year.
To be fair, ASU is badly in need of additional funding. Enrollment continues to grow, with last fall's freshman class being the largest in University history. The grand total for all ASU campuses was 57,543 (48,901 at ASU Main), also a new all-time high. Ironically, more students actually mean less money because the per capita cost of educating them exceeds out-of-state tuition. U.S. News and World Report estimates the figure to be $13,500.
With continued growth comes the demand for new facilities and classroom space, a problem made more apparent when what remained of the already defunct Social Sciences Building began to collapse on itself last week. ASU is also carrying a good deal of debt these days, due in part to new buildings.
Meanwhile, state funding is likely not going to cover the increasing number of students. Gov. Janet Napolitano asked the Legislature for an additional $23.4 million for ASU in fiscal 2005, a little less than half of the $54.2 million requested by ASU President Michael Crow.
So, it appears money has to come from somewhere and the pockets of students -- though empty -- are filling in the fiscal gap.
Well, we're paying enough as it is, and I'll wager most of ASU's current student population feels the same way. 'Current' is the operative word, by the way. To be perfectly blunt, I have no great concern for what next fall's incoming freshmen have to pay (assuming it stays that way for four years), nor am I particularly concerned with whether or not every single qualified applicant gets accepted. If the University needs more money, new applicants are the ones who ought to be burdened with an increase in tuition or fewer spots available to them. The rest of us should continue paying what we signed on for.
That may sound harsh, but the reason why is simple: they're not here yet, and they can still shop around for better options if they like. The rest of us already attending ASU probably enrolled after factoring in what was then an affordable tuition.
Unfortunately, that's not how the system works. Current students must suffer rising costs along with future ones. And as long as growing enrollment means a shrinking budget, I have only two words for ASU officials: enrollment cap.
Scott Phillips is a justice studies senior. Reach him at scott.phillips@asu.edu.
