SAGINAW -- State Universities are announcing tuition increases after the state budget calls for cuts in education funding. Many students at state universities will see a tuition increase of nearly 7% as the budget offers financial incentives for schools to keep tuition increases under 7.1%.
JJ Boehm, Director of Media and Community Relations at Saginaw Valley State University says over the past decade, schools like Saginaw Valley State University have been forced to increase tuition as a result of state budget cuts.
"This year our state appropriation was cut by nearly 4 million dollars. That’s our largest reason why we had to increase tuition like we did," says Boehm.
He says that in the past 10 years state funding has dropped by nearly 1,800 per pupil, and less money from the state leave a bigger financial burden on students.
"We know that we have to make sure that our students are getting the best education possible so that our state can move forward," says Boehm.
But the rising cost of higher education has students worried.
Arthur Gary, Senior at Saginaw Valley State University says tuition increases will affect him not only now, but in the future.
"Yeah, I mean its definitely going to make life a little more difficult for me. I'm going to be in debt longer, its a scary thought,” says Gary.
Joshua Scott, Senior at Central Michigan University says tuition increases also have him worried about his student loan debt.
"I already feel like I'm going to be paying off my loans for the rest of my life and it just keeps going up," says Scott.
According to the Associated Press,
Oakland University will see a tuition increase of 7.0%, while
Western Michigan University will increase its tuition to 6.6%, and Saginaw Valley State will see an increase in tuition of 6.9%. Other public universities are expected to announce tuition increases in the coming week.
*Story written by NBC25's Jenna Lyons
