NEWS | October 16, 2003

Tuition and Fees
Hikes will decide increases in aid
Some students will receive more money according to their need, official says.

By Chris Baggott
The Shorthorn staff

Financial aid awards will be adjusted to make up for a tuition hike expected this spring, administrators say. Part of the revenue from expected tuition increases will be set aside to help students absorb the cost.

Financial Aid Director Karen Krause said her office will ensure that students who have financial aid will receive enough money to cover the difference. She said adjustments will depend on whether a student has true need.

“We will systematically go through those students,” she said. “Those who receive grants, we’ll automatically adjust.”

Financial Aid officials will evaluate students who receive grant money from the federal government or the state first, Krause said. After that is adjusted, other forms of aid, such as loans, could be increased.

“Students still have to have a financial need and go through the application process,” she said.

Krause said preliminary evaluations show there will be enough funding to adjust for those who have already received aid in the fall. Until rates are finalized, she said, there is no way to know how much might be left over.

“We know we can certainly cover those groups and have a small additional amount to give out more,” Krause said.

She said her office will award any additional funds to those students who miss the June 1 deadline to apply for aid. The funds will be given out in the order applications were received.

“That’s the most fair way we could think of to do it,” she said.

Students who already have financial aid should make sure their paperwork is in order, Krause said.

“This is being done in a way so the students won’t have to come in and see us,” she said.

While the deadline for fall financial aid is already past, students can still apply for the spring, Krause said.

“They can apply any time,” she said. “They just may not be able to take advantage of the new grant money.”

During the last regular legislative session, lawmakers gave universities the ability to adjust designated tuition. At the same time they cut state aid, making tuition increases necessary.

The UT System Commission on Tuition met via a video-teleconference Wednesday to discuss proposed increases in designated tuition. Mike Kerker, the system’s assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs, said increased tuition will create the need for more financial aid. Dr. Kerker said the system is trying to hand out as much aid as it can.

“We do pass out every dollar we can legally get our hands on,” he said.

UTA students benefited from more than $78 million in financial aid last year, but many students still need financial assistance, Kerker said. He said there are multiple aid programs available and that new ones are being generated, like the B-On-Time program.

“While we gave out a significant amount of financial aid last year, we still have a significant amount of need,” he said.

Teresa Sullivan, the system’s executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, said the legislature has solved many of the problems with the Texas B-On-Time Loan program. Created during the last regular legislative session, the program called for 5 percent of revenue generated by tuition increases to be set aside to pay for forgivable loans in addition to a standard 20 percent set aside for financial aid.

The law that created the loan program has been adjusted so the 5 percent set-aside will be part of the 20 percent instead of in addition to it. Interim Provost Dana Dunn said her tuition proposal was made with the original legislation in mind. She said she expects the proposed $15-per-credit-hour increase for spring and the $20-per-credit-hour for next fall to be reduced accordingly.

“I believe it’s appropriate to adjust it downward,” Dr. Dunn said.

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