Letter writer questions why Regents were regretful about raising tuition

Category: Editorials Editorials
Published: 03 May 2017 03 May 2017

Dear Editor:

Reports from the last Regent's meeting when referring to the tuition increase said: GÇ£The regents, regretful but desperate, agreed to and unanimously voted in favor of the increase.GÇ¥

Actually, the President and the Regents have increased tuition and fees every year that President Shepard has been at the University. Here's the history:

2016-17: Did not raise tuition, but raised fees 22.5%, total increase in tuition and fees 3.53%

2015-16: Tuition raised 5%, fees raised 11%, total increase in tuition and fees 6.7%

2014-15: Tuition raised 6%, fees raised 31.5%, this year the University changed how they calculate tuition and fees, before this year students paid the same tuition and fees if they took from 12 to 18 hours calculated at 12 times the hourly rate. This plateau was change to 15 to 18 hours and calculated at 13.5 times the hourly rate. Strangely you now pay more for 14 hours than 15 hours. Total increase in tuition and fees 27.3%.

2013-14: tuition raised 5%, fees raised 26%, total increase in tuition and fees 9.47%

2012-13; Total tuition and fees increased 13.2%

There's no reason for the Regents to be regretful for voting to increase tuition and fees. They do it every year.

President Shepard again says that Western is one of the cheapest Universities around, but comparing Western to the University of Arizona or Arizona State is meaningless. The tuition and fees charge by state universities is strongly determined by the support the state government gives to its schools and New Mexico is very generous. A better comparison would be to schools in New Mexico that receive the same level of state support as Western. When looking at tuition and fees, Western is $1,134 a year more expensive than Eastern New Mexico, $1,244 more expensive than Highlands and $2,084 more expensive than Northern New Mexico. When you look at GÇ£cost of attendanceGÇ¥, which includes tuition, fees, room and meals, Western is the most expensive school in New Mexico, more expensive than UNM, State and New Mexico Tech.

So Silver City instead of having an inexpensive school for the students from Southwest New Mexico, we have one of the most expensive schools in New Mexico.

Alfred Milligan
Silver City, NM 88062

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