Document text
- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels July 28, 2004 SOU students given slight break By Bill Choy Ashland Daily Tidings Many Southern Oregon University undergraduate students will see a slight decrease in tuition starting in the fall, ranging from $31 to $129. University officials announced on Tuesday a tuition reduction from the rates that were published earlier this month in the university's academic catalogue. This follows a June announcement that SOU tuition would increase by 19 percent due to the state's budget problems. The increase also affected several other universities including the Oregon Institute of Technology, which saw it's fall tuition increase by 23 percent. Undergraduate Oregon state residents who take between 13 to 16 credits will pay $1,203 in fall tuition said Craig Morris, SOU director of business services. This compares to the original tuition rate of $1,252 for 14 credits and $1,332 for 16 credits. Those taking 17 and 18 credits will pay $1,303 and $1,403, respectfully. The previous tuition rates were $1,429 and $1,526. In the spring, students paid $1,046 for 12 to 16 credits, Morris said. University officials made the change after the State Board of Higher Education decided at its meeting on July 15-16 to approve a tuition mitigation proposal to lessen the impact of tuition increases exceeding 15 percent for resident undergraduate students at Oregon schools. The tuition decrease does not include tuition for graduate and non-resident students. The changes will be mitigated by the allocation of at least $1.4 million gained from a recent reorganization and cuts in the chancellors office, said Di Saunders, director of communications for the office of the chancellor. "There was a concern that certain students were facing some higher increases," she said. "They ( the board) wanted to reduce the sticker shock, because there really is a concern about affordability right now." This is a one year plan for the 2004-2005 school year, she said. Morris is hopeful the decrease in tution will encourage students who were not going to attend SOU in the fall due to the increase to reconsider. "When they see there's a price break, we hope they will come back and continue their education here," Morris said. "That's what we're all about." The new tuition plan will shave about $450,00 off the budget for the coming school year, Morris said. He said the school plans to look further at its budget the next few weeks for an additional $190,000 worth of cuts. The state has also provided $260,000 to mitigate the cap's effect. Morris said they were students who expressed disappointment with the tuition increase in June. "Of course people don't like to pay more for the same services," he said. "But hopefully, this will help change things... This will be positive for us because we won't take as serious of a budget cut, and for the students they will pay less. It's a win-win situation for everyone." Allyson Kelly graduated from SOU this spring and will take eight credits of post bachelors work in the fall. Normally taking a full course load as an undergraduate, Kelley said she wished the deduction occurred while she was still an undergraduate student. "It would have made a big difference for me," she said. "I would not have needed to work as much. Any decrease makes a difference. Text books can cost like $80, $100 and $200. Every little bit helps." DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams