Some students won’t pay more under Arizona university tuition proposals

PHOENIX — Undergraduate students enrolled in Arizona’s three public universities will not pay more for classes next year but the price will go up for some incoming freshmen, the state board of regents proposed Friday.

“Tuition affordability and predictability have been crucial priorities for the board over the past several years, and I am proud that we have kept increases low for Arizona students and families,” Arizona Board of Regents Chairman Bill Ridenour said in a release.

“This year’s proposals align with the board’s direction to keep tuition as low as possible while also allowing the universities to stay on course as they achieve critical goals for the state.”

Should the proposals be enacted, students going into their first semester at Northern Arizona University would face the sharpest increase at 3.5 percent.

“NAU will continue to educate students to serve, lead and achieve,” President Rita Cheng said. “We will increase access to higher education and help shape our state’s workforce while remaining mindful of the costs to students and their families. This proposal helps us achieve all of these goals.”

NAU’s proposal also included a $75 per semester athletic fee, something students opposed.

Those heading to the University of Arizona in Tucson for the first time would pay an additional 2 percent overall.

“The tuition proposal represents the collaborative work of university, faculty and student leaders in crafting a plan that addresses the shared highest priorities,” UA President Robert C. Robbins said in a release. “We’ve kept the tuition increase as modest as possible and we will continue to pursue operational efficiencies to fund the initiatives identified in our next strategic plan.”

Arizona State University was not planning to increase freshman tuition. However, tuition would go up for out-of-state and international students, as well as for those who take classes online.

ASU also requested to raise its health and wellness fee by $30, which could be as high as $70.

The public will be able to give feedback on the proposed tuition during a live-streamed hearing at multiple locations on March 27.

The board will vote on the proposals on April 5.

Tuition has been a contentious issue in Arizona in recent years. Last year, state Attorney General Mark Brnovich sued the board over the cost of higher education.

The lawsuit argued that tuition hikes at the state’s three public universities went against the Arizona Constitution, which specified education should be as affordable as possible. It sought to get answers from the schools, specifically as to where they are spending money and the process used to set tuition rates.

Ridenour said the tuition hikes were necessary because the Arizona Legislature cut millions from university budgets.

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