The University of South Florida became the latest state university to hike its out-of-state student fees by 10% after a board of trustees meeting Thursday.
After the Board of Governors decided last month to allow universities up to 10% increases this year and 15% increases next year, USF joined the University of Florida, Florida State University, Florida International University and the University of Central Florida.
After the first price hike since 2012, USF undergraduate students who paid about $347 per credit hour will now pay just over $381. Graduate students who paid about $425 per credit hour will pay nearly $467.
Financial aid would increase by about $2 per credit hour for both undergraduates and graduate students. A state analysis estimated an increase of about $9 million in revenue, while USF estimated around $5.1 million.
USF officials pointed out that even after the increase, the cost of fees remained significantly lower than the current state university system average.
Still, some had concerns.
One public commenter asked why out-of-state students should bear the burden of across-the-board cost increases.
Tessa Barber, the president of USF’sgraduate student union, expressed concerns over graduate students who are living paycheck to paycheck. Around 40% of the graduate student union’s bargaining unit are international students she said, many of whom are not able to work off campus to make up for the added expenses due to visa restrictions.
The University of Florida allowed already enrolled students who could prove financial hardship a one-year waiver to the new fees.
Faculty trustee David Simmons asked what the board could do to ensure financial support for existing students.
“We’re a very, very good deal for undergraduate education and graduate education nationally and we will remain that after this change,” he said. “My concern is that many of our students, and especially our graduate students, experience financial struggles and distress in their time here.”
He said he was less worried about future students coming in who know the numbers than existing students.
Weatherford said the university would look into existing sources of support for graduate students and added that it “was not a banner year” for state funding.
“It’s not cheap to run a public university,” he said. “It’s one thing to subsidize our state’s best and brightest, but it’s another to use Florida tax dollars to subsidize the cost of education for out-of-state students.”
Student body president and trustee Sumit Jadhav, an international student, abstained from voting because of the financial impact the vote would have on him.
He added that keeping USF affordable for out-of-state students added more diversity to the campus and a wider scope of alumni ambassadors, nationally and internationally.
“None of us take this on lightly,” he said. “We’re trying to find a balance of being good stewards of the enterprise of the University of South Florida, while at the same time making sure we maintain affordability.”