Tuition Increase? Students Say 'No Thanks'

When the Board of Regents for Higher Education proposed an increase of nearly $800 per year for students living on campus, students at Western Connecticut State University said, "No."

"It will definitely hurt students who don't get scholarships," said Brittany Lester, 20, a junior studying creative writing and, Chris Smith, 22, said, "Pretty soon, even state schools won't be affordable.

The "No," from students sounded louder when they realized out of state students might see no increase in tuition at all.

"I think the students who live here should get a decrease. It’s not fair,” said Freshman Brittney Rozum, 18, who is majoring in psychology.

"I’m going to have to take out higher loans," said Joe Fiore, 19, a sophomore and graphic designer at Western. "It’s going to break me."

According to the Board of Regents for Higher Education's Finance Committee meeting agenda, tuition and mandatory fees for in-state undergraduate students will increase by an average of $434 per semester, or 5.1% per year. Total average tuition and fees for in-state undergraduate residential students increase by $778 per semester or 4.1% per year under these recommendations.

According to the same committee agenda, Western is projecting a 4.2 percent decrease in undergraduate in‐state enrollment, a 15 percent drop in out‐of‐state enrollment, and a 14 percent decrease in graduate enrollment in 2014.

"Depending what the new fees will go towards and whether they will benefit the student body determines how I feel about them," said Tori Lebinski, a senior and a psychology major at Western. "If I live in Connecticut and go to school here, why should my tuition be increased for people coming from New York or who don’t live here?"

Western Connecticut State University Students Abigail Lebron, CJ Sousa, Jordan Sprogis, Nicholas Rolen and Chris Ventre reported this story.