The University of Louisiana System (ULS) has approved a 10 percent tuition increase for nine Louisiana universities including Southeastern, raising average tuition costs from $5,467 to $6,013.
Through the Granting Resources for Autonomy and Diplomas (GRAD) Act, universities are allowed to raise tuition by 10 percent each year if specific performance benchmarks are met. These increases do not require approval from the state legislature.
The increase, according to the ULS, is  an unfortunate necessity in order to offset the most recent $66 million in higher education cuts which slashed Southeastern’s budget by nearly $13 million. Despite revenue increases, offsetting state budget cuts continues to pose a struggle for Louisiana universities.
“When state funding is reduced, the only available option to offset those reductions is to increase tuition,” said ULS Assistant Vice President for Communications, Jackie Tisdell. “Since 2008-09, UL System schools, minus UNO who joined the UL System in 2012, have lost $206 million in state funding. Increases in tuition revenue have only offset those reductions by half.  Our universities are operating with $101 million less than they had in 2008-09.”
With the ULS Board of Supervisors approval, students can expect to pay $5,595.10 overall, an approximately $509 increase when compared to the previous rate which totaled $5,086.50. Of the nine universities represented by ULS, Southeastern has the fifth lowest annual tuition, according to a ULS press release with McNeese State University having the lowest, totaling $5,475.25 after the tuition increase.
Accordingly, increased revenue will not be seen throughout the university. Vice President for Administration and Finance, Sam Domiano, says that these increases have often been used to offset budget losses and that even with the unknown of upcoming fiscal appropriations, the new revenue can expect to do the same.
“The funds have traditionally been used to offset further reductions in state appropriations,” said Domiano. “While we do not yet know what our state appropriation will be in the 2013-2014 fiscal year, based on the Governor’s Executive Budget, it appears we should expect that will continue.  As a result, the increase would not generate new dollars for the university.”
While an increase in tuition fees is frowned upon by the student body, administrators claim that without the increases, the university’s budget would see a major hit, crippling necessary services to students.
“If we did not receive the tuition increase, the university would be faced with further reductions in our overall operating budget,” said Domiano. “This would include further reductions in personnel and services as well as the potential reduction of programs.”
ULS has not seen the increase in revenue as a positive, however, it did mention that ULS represented universities continue to have significantly lower revenue costs when compared to neighboring institutions.
“We do not see raising tuition as positive, but our universities’ tuition rates are still significantly cheaper than other states,” said Tisdell.  “The average tuition rate for the system even with the current increase is almost $1,500 cheaper than the Southern Regional Education Boards (SREB) 16-state average.”
It is unclear whether Southeastern will be subject to another tuition increase come fall 2014. However, as long as GRAD Act targets are met and the institution’s tuition rate is below the SREB average for peer institutions, the increased tuition is almost unavoidable.
Requests made by the university requesting tuition increases are sent to the Board of Supervisors of the University of Louisiana System every spring and protected under Act 741 of the 2010 Regular Legislative Session.
Further tuition flexibility may soon be granted to Louisiana universities.
House Bill 87 would place universities in charge of setting tuition expenses, contrary to current law which requires state lawmakers to approve of all higher education tuition. The bill will be debated in the upcoming legislative session which begins April 8.