Tuition to increase by more than 6 percent
By: K.J. Stimpson
Issue date: 5/5/09 Section: News
Last week the Board of Regents approved an increase in tuition and fees at Eastern New Mexico University.
President Steven Gamble reported that the approved tuition for the 2009-2010 school year of an undergraduate is $1,257, a 6.28 percent increase, for New Mexico residents and 4,032 for non-residents, a 2.43 percent increase. Approved tuition for graduate students in the 2009-2010 year is $1,461, a 6.33 percent increase, for New Mexico residents and $4,227, a 1.95 percent increase, for non-residents. Student fees will be $519, an approximate six percent increase.
Gamble said, two percent of the money from tuition and fees goes "straight to the state budget," and the remaining four percent goes back into the school to balance the school's budget.
He said even with cuts being made, ENMU is making certain the quality of programs is still maintained. In addition, despite the decrease in state budget, scholarship money has been protected 100 percent, Gamble reported.
According to Gamble, the increase in tuition is largely due to New Mexico state legislature cutting ENMU's state funding by $1,728,000. Gamble said, however, that even with the state cutting the budget by such a large amount ENMU is not in danger of going under.
According to Gamble one occurrence, which "saved our bacon," was the increase in enrollment for this school year. An increase of $810,000 in tuition in fees from the current school year was one of the economic resources that assisted in balancing ENMU's budget after the legislature budget cuts, reported Gamble.
Gamble also stressed that the "university is not laying off any employees, but employees will not be receiving any pay increases."
ENMU was not the only higher education facility taking a budget cut from the state. University of New Mexico, New State University, and other institutions in the state also had a loss in funding, Gamble said.
New Mexico is one of many states feeling the strain of the nation's lowered economy, according to Gamble. In response, state legislation has cut budgets at many state departments, and Gamble said it is only fair that higher education also assist to ease the strain of the current economic depression.
President Steven Gamble reported that the approved tuition for the 2009-2010 school year of an undergraduate is $1,257, a 6.28 percent increase, for New Mexico residents and 4,032 for non-residents, a 2.43 percent increase. Approved tuition for graduate students in the 2009-2010 year is $1,461, a 6.33 percent increase, for New Mexico residents and $4,227, a 1.95 percent increase, for non-residents. Student fees will be $519, an approximate six percent increase.
Gamble said, two percent of the money from tuition and fees goes "straight to the state budget," and the remaining four percent goes back into the school to balance the school's budget.
He said even with cuts being made, ENMU is making certain the quality of programs is still maintained. In addition, despite the decrease in state budget, scholarship money has been protected 100 percent, Gamble reported.
According to Gamble, the increase in tuition is largely due to New Mexico state legislature cutting ENMU's state funding by $1,728,000. Gamble said, however, that even with the state cutting the budget by such a large amount ENMU is not in danger of going under.
According to Gamble one occurrence, which "saved our bacon," was the increase in enrollment for this school year. An increase of $810,000 in tuition in fees from the current school year was one of the economic resources that assisted in balancing ENMU's budget after the legislature budget cuts, reported Gamble.
Gamble also stressed that the "university is not laying off any employees, but employees will not be receiving any pay increases."
ENMU was not the only higher education facility taking a budget cut from the state. University of New Mexico, New State University, and other institutions in the state also had a loss in funding, Gamble said.
New Mexico is one of many states feeling the strain of the nation's lowered economy, according to Gamble. In response, state legislation has cut budgets at many state departments, and Gamble said it is only fair that higher education also assist to ease the strain of the current economic depression.