State budget cuts to education funding are forcing University officials to consider another tuition increase that will put some students between a rock and a hard place when it comes to paying the bills.
The proposed $1,025 tuition surcharge may force some students to take out more loans, work multiple jobs or transfer to community college.
Amanda Haas, a biology sophomore, is one of three children in her family currently attending ASU.
Haas’ parents have taken out a loan to pay for her older and younger sister’s tuition.
If the Economic Recovery Surcharge increases again this year, Haas’ parents might not be able to pay for all three of them to continue at ASU.
“One of us will be forced to drop out or transfer over to a community college,” Haas said. “I know my parents will do everything possible to avoid this, including taking out another loan, … But I’ve got to think that eventually there’s going to be a limit as to how much they can afford.”
Haas has another younger sister planning to attend college and said she doesn’t know what her parents will have to do to pay for another college education.
“I think it is borderline criminal that the first budget cuts the state makes are from education,” she said.
Education is one of the most important investments the state can make, Haas said.
“People whine and complain that the world is getting stupider and that Arizona is one of the lowest ranked in standardized testing,” she said. “But then they turn around and cut the funds needed to correct it.”
Jessica Wagenfuehr,a biology sophomore, has taken out nearly $10,000 in loans and if tuition increases again, she said, she might have to take out more.
“I’ve taken out a whole bunch of loans already, so I don’t really want to do more, but I think it’s inevitable,” she said.
Wagenfuehr used to work full time but had to cut back on hours to save her grades.
If tuition increases and she doesn’t get any money th rough the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, Wagenfuehr said she will have to either start begging her parents for money or take out another loan.
Wagenfuehr came to ASU in fall 2008, but was forced to transfer to community college in fall 2009 because of the costs. She came back to ASU in spring 2010 but is again struggling to pay tuition.
“I already dropped down to community college once because [tuition] was so expensive. … I might have to find another job or bump up my hours at my current one,” she said.
Wagenfuehr also said the state is making a bad decision by taking money away from education.
“This generation is going to be running things in the very near future,” Wagenfuehr said. “Educated people are going to be the deciding factor about where this country ends up going and what it ends up doing.”
Undergraduate Student Government President Brendan O’Kelly said the cuts the state has made to education are appalling and don’t seem to be in the best interest for the future of Arizona.
“In a state with few natural resources, [the Legislature is] cutting [its] last good resource — an educated workforce,” O’Kelly said.
In a meeting with The State Press editorial board on Feb. 10, President Michael Crow said the University has a clear policy that students will not be left out of ASU for financial reasons.
“We’re committed to all qualified students having access without financial barriers,” Crow said.
Last month, USG and the Alumni Association started a campaign called Sun Devil Advocates, which is aimed at educating students about their legislators.
In the past, the Legislature has had no problem cutting funding from education and has met little student resistance, O’Kelly said, but it shouldn’t be that way this time.
“We want to let [legislators] know there will be students voting in November and we will be standing up for ourselves,” O’Kelly said. “Right now students and their families are feeling the greatest part of this burden put on them by the state Legislature.”
Reach the reporter at beth.easterbrook@asu.edu
