UT officials recently announced the rates of the flat-rate tuition pilot program, predicting it will help facilitate four-year graduation rates.
Under the flat-rate three-year pilot, which will be implemented in the colleges of Liberal Arts and Natural Sciences in Fall 2002, students will pay a flat rate based on the number of hours they take.
Liberal arts students will pay $782 for taking one to three hours, $1,267 for four to six hours, $2,089 for seven to 11 hours and $2,507 for 12 or more hours. Natural sciences majors will pay $859 for one to three hours, $1,414 for four to six hours, $2,234 for seven to 11 hours and $2,654 for 12 or more hours.
Students attending the University from out-of-state will pay about 45-percent more due to their nonresident status.
Richard Lariviere, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, said the flat-rate pilot will help liberal arts and natural sciences students graduate in a timely manner - a goal UT President Larry Faulkner has advocated since he arrived at the University in 1997.
"The primary goal here is to encourage students to graduate in four years. This is good for students and good for students who want to come here," Lariviere said. "President Faulkner has estimated that a higher four-year graduation rate would make room for an additional 1,000 students at UT each year. I am optimistic that this new tuition and fee structure will contribute significantly to our four-year graduation rate."
Lariviere said the rates are practical.
"I think the numbers are realistic," Lariviere said. "They represent the best estimates of costs for services that all of us - students, faculty and administration - think are essential."
Lariviere said the numbers, which were approved by Provost Sheldon Ekland-Olson, were determined through a collaboration between Ekland-Olson; Lariviere; Mary Ann Rankin, dean of the College of Natural Sciences; Beverly Griggs, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts; David Laude, associate dean of the College of Natural Sciences; and other UT officials.
Elliot Kruppa, a finance junior and chairman for the Cabinet of College Councils, said although the cabinet has not been completely briefed on the details of the flat rate numbers, it has been involved in analyzing the pilot's impact on students.
"The Cabinet of College Councils has taken a proactive approach through the creation of a task force to try to foresee the future ramifications of the flatâ??rate tuition on all colleges," Kruppa said. "We have not been fully informed, at this time, on the final numbers or the process the administrators used in producing these numbers."
Lariviere said these numbers will most likely stay intact for the 2002-2003 academic year. However, in a memo to academic deans, Ekland-Olson said the numbers remain subject to formal approval of the UT System Board of Regents.
Russ Bodnyk, a computer sciences senior and Student Government natural sciences representative, said while there are benefits to the pilot, student reaction will vary depending on each individual's situation.
"It's no secret, students rarely want to pay more," Bodnyk said. "Responses will vary depending on your lifestyle, values, finances, degree and extracurricular activities. Whatever the case, students and student leaders alike need to voice their response now and especially in three years when flat rate tuition is reviewed by the Texas Legislature."
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