Tuition Isn't the Only College Expense on the Rise

WASHINGTON -- Despite all the grumbling about tuition increases and student loan costs, other college expenses also are going up.

The price of housing and food trumps tuition costs for students who attend two- and four-year public universities in their home states, according to a College Board survey. Even with the lower interest rates on student loans that President Barack Obama signed into law, students are eyeing bills that are growing on just about every line.

A look at typical college students' budgets last year and how they're changing:

Community Colleges

The public two-year schools charged in-state students an average $3,131 last year, up almost 6 percent from the previous year. While the tuition hike was larger than at other types of schools, students at community colleges saw the smallest increase in room and board costs -- a 1 percent increase to $7,419. Total charges for students to attend an in-state public two-year school: $10,550.

Tuition and fees at community colleges are up 24 percent beyond overall inflation over the past five years, according to the College Board.

Public Four-Year Colleges

Tuition for students attending public four-year schools in their state was an average $8,655 last year, a 5 percent jump from the previous year. They paid more than that -- $9,205 -- for housing and food. These schools, like other four-year schools, posted a 4 percent jump in housing costs. Add in books and supplies, transportation and other costs and the total reaches $17,860 to attend an in-state public school, such as a student from Tallahassee attending Florida State University. When grants and scholarships are included, the average student pays $12,110 at such schools.

For students who choose to attend state schools outside their home state, the costs increase to $30,911. They pay the same $9,205 price tag for room and board, but the tuition rates are more expensive. The typical student who crossed state lines to attend a public college in 2012 paid $21,706 in tuition and fees after grants and scholarships -- a 4 percent jump from the previous year.

Over the past five years, the tuition sticker price at public four-year colleges is up 27 percent beyond overall inflation.

Private Schools

On the surface, private four-year schools are the most costly colleges, with the average student's sticker price coming in at $39,518 for all expenses. Tuition and fees were $29,056 last year -- another 4 percent jump -- while room and board ran to $10,462. After grants and scholarships, the average student paid $23,840 to attend schools such as Yale or Stanford.

The tuition at private schools was up 13 percent beyond overall inflation over the past five years adjusted for inflation.

 source: dailyfinance.com

'Study now, pay later' loans proposed

A partylist representative on Monday pitched for the creation of a loaning system for indigent students that will allow them to borrow funds for tuition and other school fees that they can pay back once employed.

“A student loaning system for less fortunate students in our country could be a feasible option to consider in order to prevent another incident like that of Kristel Tejada of UP Manila," Representative Sherwin Tugna of the Citizens Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC), said.

The proposal would patterned after the loan system in the United States that give students the option of borrowing funds for tuition and then paying for it when they have jobs, Tugna said.

"We are currently studying how can that be done here. What is the limit of the loan and how long can the students' loan be spread," he said.

Under his proposal, the Commission on Higher Education will serve asthe fund administrator. The concept would be similar to Landbank’s loan provision to farmers and other members of the agricultural sector, Tugna said.

“Whether we like it or not, this incident with Ms. Tejada is the state of our education system and is a reflection of the lack of attention the government is giving to it. We may be angry at the administration of UP now and blame them for what happened but ultimately, the core of this problem is rooted in a government and a system mired in graft and corruption," he said.

"Money swindled or embezzled by enterprising and thick-skinned government officials could have been used to allocate to the already meager and limited budget of our country’s beloved state university and also to the other state universities and colleges that are brimming with bright and promising students who are afflicted by financial constraints,” Tugna added.

In a separate statement, Makabayan senatorial candidate Teddy Casiño Makabayan senatorial filed House Resolution 3044 calling for an inquiry on the various tuition and loan policies of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs).

"Government should direct concerned agencies and bodies to immediately review existing policies and rules of state universities and colleges (SUCs) in relation to tuition, loan grants and other payment schemes," Casiño, representative of Bayan Muna partylist, said.

"While SUCs are granted relative autonomy, government should have a set of minimum guidelines prioritizing the right of students to education over the generation of revenues," he added.

Fellow Bayan Muna partylist Representative Neri Colmenares said the government must answer for the UP student's death.

“The death of the young, promising student is a result of the heartless, anti-poor policies of the government.  It is outrageous and so ironic that this tragedy happened in the supposedly premier state university of the country. This is a state-driven murder,” he said.

source: interaksyon.com

Quebec, students clinch deal on tuition hikes

VICTORIAVILLE, Canada — The government of the French-speaking province of Quebec and student groups clinched a roadmap agreement Saturday to put an end to 12 weeks of often violent protests over tuition hikes, officials said.

The deal came after some 23 hours of arduous negotiations between Education Minister Line Beauchamp and four major Quebec student groups, and just hours after clashes in Victoriaville that left nine people injured and ended with 106 arrests outside the Quebec Liberal Party’s annual convention.

Details of the agreement were not immediately available, as student leaders said they wanted to first have group members review the document before final approval.

The Victoriaville protests overnight were among the most violent since mid-February, when students took to the streets to protest the Quebec government’s plans to raise university fees by $1,625 over five years to $3,800 per year as part of an effort to rein in the budget deficit.

Quebec’s main student groups have mobilized some 170,000 students who are refusing to go to class until the matter is resolved.

During the skirmishes in Victoriaville, some 170 kilometers east of Montreal, protesters threw stones and police shot tear gas and fired rubber bullets. The injured included six protesters and three police officers.

Three of the students were rushed to hospital with head injuries, but officials said they were in stable condition.

One protester, identified as a student at Cegep de Saint-Laurent university in Montreal, lost the use of his eye, medical officials said.

The ear of another student was also severely cut, according to witnesses.

“We were on top of the little hill behind the protests and there was a guy with a bloody ear,” said Shania, who attended Friday’s demonstration and would not provide her last name.

People toward the back of the demo were peaceful, a protester who gave her name as Tania told AFP.

“I don’t understand how you can justify police who are supposed to be protecting the convention ending up in an area further away,” Tania said.

But police spokesman Captain Jean Finet told reporters that the officers had “used the necessary force to ensure citizens’ safety.”

In one exchange demonstrators attacked and beat a police officer, according to local media, which said the officer did not suffer serious injuries.

Police attributed the violence to a small group of troublemakers among the protesters.

Provincial police had initially arrested four people during the protest in front of the Victoriaville convention center, where Quebec Premier Jean Charest’s party was holding its annual meeting.

Overnight, officers stopped three buses full of students heading home to Montreal, according to officials.

More protesters were in Victoriaville for the second day of the Quebec Liberal Party’s convention.

source: japantoday.com

Metro Manila hosts most number of colleges allowed to hike tuition

Metro Manila will have the most number of private universities and colleges to increase their tuition in June, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said, adding that it already approved fee hikes for 256 schools nationwide.

Higher tuition will be charged in 67 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Metro Manila, followed by 41 in Region XI (Davao Region), and 36 in Region IV-A (Calabarzon), the Commission said.

The Commission added that 30 schools have been allowed to impose increased tuition in Region VI (Western Visayas), 28 in Region III (Central Luzon), and 16 in Region V (Bicol), 15 in Region X (Northern Mindanao), and 14 in Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula).
Tuition fee increases have also been approved for 12 schools in both Region VII (Central Visayas) and Region XII (SOCCSKSARGEN), 7 in Region I (Ilocos), and six each in the Cordillera Administrative Region and CARAGA.

Five schools in Region IV-B (MIMAROPA) and two in Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) were also allowed to impose higher tuition, the body said.

Increase in tuition ranges from seven percent up to 15 percent.

Schools in Region II are reported to have the highest percent of increase at 15 percent, followed by CARAGA (13 percent); Region 1 (12 percent); Regions XI and V with 11 percent; Region 3 (10 percent); NCR, Regions VI, VII, VIII, and IX (9 percent); Regions IVA and CAR (8 percent) and Region XI (7 percent).

The number of schools that have sought--and eventually secured approval to hike fees--is lower, compared to last year’s 324 HEIs, CHED said.

These schools comprise "roughly only 10 percent" of the 2,247 HEIs nationwide, including in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

source: interaksyon.com