Tuition hikes continue, but the amount of financial aid Arizona appropriates remains the same, leaving universities and students with the bill.
Tuition has gone up more than 70 percent since 2000, and the amount ASU received through the Arizona Financial Aid Trust Fund has only gone up 2 percent, according to the Arizona Board of Regents Web site.
"Currently, Arizona ranks 47th in state aid, so we're pretty close to the bottom in state support," said Mike Denke, assistant executive director for ABOR.
Denke said the state traditionally has not provided much assistance.
The Arizona Financial Aid Trust Fund was established in 1989. Each year, 1 percent of resident tuition is added to the fund, which the state then matches.
"There have been a number of recommendations made over the past few years that the state have a double match of those funds," Denke said. "[The state legislature] decided they weren't able to fund that this year."
Denke said the amount of money the state gave to AFAT over the past five years has remained relatively constant.
Director of Student Financial Assistance Craig Fennell said Arizona doesn't provide ASU with any assistance specifically for financial aid.
"The state does provide operating funds, but it does not have an aid program," Fennell said.
Last year, ASU awarded nearly $344 million in total financial aid, he added.
About $237 million came from the federal grants, loans and work-study programs. About $456,000 came from the state. The rest was generated by the University and private donors.
The $344 million included scholarships, need-based grant aids, loans and work-study -- in which a student does work in their area of study in exchange for financial aid.
Fennell said $36.8 million was used for tuition scholarships, both merit and need-based, and just more than $6 million went to athletic scholarships and tuition waivers.
The money was not enough to fill the demand.
Fennell said nearly 41,000 ASU students applied for need-based aid last year, and 33,000 students received some type of assistance.
Denke said the state awarded approximately 2,750 residents across the state's three universities with financial aid in 2004. The average award was $1,125 and was only for Arizona residents.
Alex Johnson, a justice studies sophomore, said the amount of financial aid he receives doesn't even cover half of his tuition costs.
"Every year I apply for FAFSA, and every year they give the same amount," Johnson said. "The level stays the same, but I have to pay more for tuition each year."
Johnson said he doesn't work because his parents want him to focus on school, but they feel the pinch.
"My parents work hard," Johnson said. "My mom carries two jobs and my dad runs a restaurant."
Bridgett Price, a journalism sophomore, said she has a scholarship that picks up what financial aid doesn't.
"The scholarship is picking up most of my college education," Price said. "I wish financial aid would pick up more so I would have more money for other things."
Price said in addition to her work-study required for her scholarship, she had to get a second job to cover the increasing cost of out-of-state tuition.
Fennell said he thinks there would be fewer dropouts if the state provided more assistance.
"We know there are some number of ASU students who drop out each year, and they cite financial reasons," Fennell said.
"If a state aid program could provide over and above what they are funding right now, some of those students would not drop out," he said.
Fennell said there is no specific data for the number of students that drop out because of the cost, but he said it is one of the top reasons.
"Other than location, finances seem to be the most important driving factor," Fennell said.
Reach the reporter at beth.cochran@asu.edu.
