Tuition cap deregulation unfair to students
by Melissa Sanchez

   Texas universities plan to persuade the legislators in January to remove the cap on college tuition.

    Presidents and chancellors from the University of Texas, Texas A&M and University of Houston believe regulated tuition, along with all other fees, is not enough to fund schools' needs. Instead, they believe universities should have the right to set tuition at whatever cost they deem appropriate for their specific needs.

    As a student, I have a serious problem with this logic. Obviously, universities are not going to choose to lower tuition, and getting a higher education is difficult enough for most of us to fund without colleges raising tuition costs.

    Currently, students attending UTA pay three times their actual credit-hour tuition in fees. Extra costs include a computer and information fee, a parking fee and an ID activation fee. What's next, oxygen usage fee? If all these fees are adding up to hundreds of dollars per student, where is the money going? Why do universities always need a little more?

    I realize schools need money to renovate and update equipment, but why put this financial burden on students? According to the Dallas Morning News, Charles Miller, chairman of the UT Board of Regents, said the university is not asking the state for more money, but asking students who can afford it to give it.

    This plan is extremely unfair. When tuition is raised, it isnÕt raised only for the rich students, but for all students. This means more students will need financial aid, and the state will be paying for the increase anyway.

    Currently, Texas has set the cap for four-year universities at $44 per undergraduate credit hour. If the cap is removed, tuition will gradually get higher and higher. If all the universities simultaneously charge outrageous tuition, students who want to attend a Texas school may be unfairly forced to pay or to forego their education.

    Aside from the money schools get from the state and tuition, schools need to take it upon themselves to raise needed funds. What ever happened to alumni? I thought they were responsible for donating and supporting their universities. Likewise, student organizations and the community can help. Instead of raising the already costly tuition and fees, individual universities should encourage studentsÕ help in raising money.

    Texas industries should also take part in this endeavor and help make Texas schools appealing. Students who decide to attend school out of state are more likely to stay and work in that state. Thus, state businesses should help keep Texans in Texas.

    Also, Texas businesses should want a good education for their future employees. This means updated equipment and modern technology. If they want to keep competitive candidates, they should help fund the institution where their applicants will be trained.

    A higher education is no longer optional. Most professions require a bachelorÕs degree or higher. Why should we make a degree harder to achieve? The state and the universities are most certainly responsible for funding the needs of Texas universities.

    Young people are the future, and every dollar put toward their education will be put back into our economy ten-fold. Education should be a priority, not an uncertainty.