The president of the University of Alaska is proposing a 2 percent tuition increase for the 2013-14 school year.
That means that undergraduate tuition would cost nearly $5,600 a year.
President Pat Gamble’s proposal will go before the UA Board of Regents in September.
Tuition currently makes up about 12 percent of the total UA budget. Gamble says if the 2 percent increase – the smallest increase in a decade – is approved adjustments will need to be made elsewhere to offset a lower-than-normal tuition hike.
“Our biggest concern was that there would be a large spike like 7 percent or more,” Alejandra Buitrago said.
Buitrago is the president of the Union of Students at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
In regards to tuition increases, Buitrago said the change should be reasonable and steady so students can plan on it, rather than having large spikes.
Last year, the regents approved a 7 percent increase.
“At least the news came sooner rather than later. [Gamble] could have waited until September to announce it,” Buitrago said. “I find it respectable that he put the word out that he was going to do this.”
