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By: Malcolm Shields
One of the gateways to a prosperous life in America has been the ability to obtain a higher education from a university. Over the past two plus decades, the cost of a college education has steadily risen across the nation. The state of Florida has not been immune to the increases.
According to a College Board study in 2011, the average cost of tuition and fees at a four-year public university has risen in the United States by 289 percent since the 1991-1992 academic year. In the same time period in the state of Florida, tuition and fees have risen by 279 percent. Despite the increase, Florida’s public universities are some of the most affordable universities in the nation in average tuition and fees.
“I think our university as well as our sister universities in Florida are well aware that we are, cost to education, [on] the lower end in the United States,” said Associate Dean of Students at Florida Atlantic University, Terry Mena. “We as an institution have worked hard to maintain an affordable education, a quality education for our FAU students.”
With the recent budget cuts by the Florida State Legislature to all state universities, which totaled $300 million, state universities have had to find other options to make up the difference.
In 2009, the State Legislature in Florida passed a bill that allowed state universities to request tuition increases up to 15 percent of the previous academic year’s tuition rates. The law also allows for tuition increases by universities until the state universities reach the national average in tuition costs.
In June, both of South Florida’s public universities, Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University, requested and received the maximum 15 percent increase for the upcoming 2012-2013 academic school year from the Florida Board of Governors, which oversees all 11 public state universities in Florida.
FAU’s Board of Trustees also elected to raise Activity and Services fees for the upcoming school year. “With this past increase in Activity and Services fees, we should not need an increase for the next few years,” said Student Body President at Florida Atlantic University, Robert Huffman.
Some students have taken the option to enroll at public state community colleges to complete their Associate of Arts degree in lieu of attending the first two years at a state university. The Associate of Arts degree encompasses the first 60 credit hours towards a college degree.
The average tuition and fees to attend a two-year state college in the state of Florida is around $3,000, according to the 2011 College Board study. The average tuition and fees at a four-year university in Florida is over $5,500.
Palm Beach State College and Broward College both declined to raise tuition on students pursuing an Associate of Arts degree for the upcoming academic year, but both did elect to raise fees.
In an effort to show solidarity in understanding the frustration of students over rising tuition and fees, Student Government organizations from Florida’s public universities have joined together to share those frustrations to lawmakers at the state capital.
“We do [an event] called ‘Rally in Tally’, where all student body presidents and, as many students as we can get from each university, to go to Tallahassee,” said Huffman. “We advocate on behalf of students on why investing in our education is important.”
With the residual effects of a recovering economy, state governments have had to make cuts across the board in the funding that it provides. With higher education in the state of Florida taking a serious hit in reduced funding and the ability that the Florida Board of Governors has in increasing tuition, students attending Florida’s public state universities may have to brace for future tuition increases. Student will have to depend more on Federal loans and grants, institutional and private scholarship as well as employment to offset the rising cost of tuition and fees.