Texas Tech Regents Hold Line on Tuition and Fees

There will be no increase in tuition and fees for the 2008-2009 school year at Texas Tech University.

The Finance and Administration Committee of the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents voted Thursday (May 8) to hold the line on undergraduate and graduate tuition. The full board is expected to follow suit during its meeting Friday.

"Texas Tech has an unusual opportunity this year to freeze tuition and fees and give the families of our current and incoming students a financial break," said Scott Dueser, chairman of the Board of Regents. "The board believes to support the chancellor’s vision to grow the size and quality of our student body we must keep tuition affordable for students from middle income families who have traditionally been the backbone of this university."

In addition to no tuition hike, there also will be no increase in student fees, room and board charges or parking fees for Texas Tech students. While the energy fee will increase by $30, the library fee will decrease by the same amount resulting in no total increase.

Texas Tech University System Chancellor Kent Hance believes that Texas Tech is in a position this year to set an example by not raising tuition or fees.

"We’ve drawn a line in the sand this year, and hope that it makes a difference," said Hance. "Texas Tech is trying to give more deserving high school students the opportunity to attend a high-quality university. We are afraid that raising tuition year after year is slowly taking away that opportunity. We also hope that freezing tuition and fees will enable our current students to stay in school and complete their Texas Tech education."

Undergraduate resident tuition at Texas Tech for 30 credit hours will remain at $4,310. With student fees, the total for 30 hours is $7,083.

The chancellor points out that universities all over the nation have struggled with diminishing funds from their state governments and have had to raise tuitions and fees to balance budgets. Texas Tech has been no exception.

"But this year we’re going to take a fresh look at our needs and try some new approaches to manage our costs and better utilize the revenue we have to work with," Hance said. "We are accountable to the taxpayers to well manage the resources we have while providing our students with the highest quality of education possible."

Texas Tech’s budget for 2008-2009 will be approved by the Board of Regents in August. Hance said he will propose a pay raise for faculty and staff in that budget.

"We’ll take a hard look at the budget over the next couple of months," he said. "Tuition and fees are now locked in. We will know soon what to expect from next year’s enrollment and be able to get our priorities funded and make choices about other items in the budget."

The next meeting of the Board if Regents is Aug. 7-8 in Lubbock.