Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Board-z BY MARION ELLIOTT News Editor An additional tuition fee increase of $25 per semester for in-state students and $50 per semester for out-of-state students was unanimously approved by the USC Board of Trustees at its summer meeting in May. Including tuition increases totaling $10 which had previously been approved, resident fees will increase $35 per semester this fall from $292 to $327 and non-resident fees will increase $60 from $647 to $707. The latest approved increase is necessary because of the cut in the University's state appropriation request and general inflation, according to Board Chairman T. Eston Marchant. USC's state appropriations for this year as approved by the State Budget and Control Board last winter was cut $5.2 million by the General Assembly. The expected $800,000 additional ArtCarved make thin Especially engagements engaging than a breat from the renowned Ar See our irresistible ArtC let it happen to you. 10 per cent discount to students with U.S. C. 1423 Main St. (Downtown C'olumbia) 'pp rove revenue from the newest tuition raise will go into the University's operating budget. The previously approved $10 increase also ef fective this fall will go to three areas. $2 will go to women's sport and $1.50 to club sports as the Board approved in September of 1974. $6.50 will go to student health as approved in January. Part time student fees,in cluding summer fees, will also increase from $24 per credit hour to $26 for undergraduate and from $27 to $30 for graduates. "We need the increase to balance the budget and I don't think it will cause hardships for students," University President William H. Patterson said. "This is the first time we've increased fees to help the University in over five years." "In 1967-68 we were fifth highest in the nation in in-state and out-of state fees, but now we are twenty fourth in in-state and thirty-fourth in out-of-state," Patterson said at the Board's meeting. "It seems reasonable to me," he concluded. Last year USC's in-state tuition Diamonds gshappen .' Teis,ohngmr htaingdiaondrin I.Daoandseae s Fall Ti fee was $22 per semester above the national median for state and land grant institutions according to the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges. Out-of-state tuition was $42 above the national median. The approved increase for USC will be the seventh in the past ten years. In September fees will have increased from $195 to $327 for resident students and from $345 to $707 for non-resident students over the past ten years. There were some questions raised at the Board's meeting concerning the necessity of the tuition increase. New Board member Othniel W. Wienges, Jr. of St. Matthews asked, "Does the University need the money that badly?" Bernard Daetwyler, vice president of finance, answered him saying utility rate increases, especially of South Carolinr Electric and Gas has hurt the University. Patterson said the expected $800,000 from the tuition increase will just provide for the increased utility costs. Such costs rose from an an ticipated $1.2 million to $1.8 million last year, according to Daetwyler. This year's energy bill is expected to reach $2.8 million, he said. Wienges had these comments concerning the increase after the meeting. "I think that having high A COLUI Regul I Printed Jean Toj ]t -Head 4tion In student fees is not a notable goal. The University is supposedly a school where students with the least financial support can go and have the opportunity to get a quality education." However, he said the increase was probably needed to make up for the ap propriation cut the University sustained in the General Assem bly. Board Chairman Marchant said because of the appropriation cut the University had to either cut back services or receive funds from some other source. "There were no other ways to do it," Marchant said. "I don't personally expect the increase to cause any student protests, per se." Board member Michael J. Mungo said even with the tuition increase, fees will only provide $17 million of the University's an ticipated budget of $87.6 million for this year. "We are still providing an education at a reasonable cost to the student," he said. Mean while, Trustee Hugh H. Wells said although USC may be criticized for the increase, he believes it will be understood in view of the cost situation. Also, the Board approved the raising of tuition fees for graduate assistants. Previously, all graduate assistants with stipends of $1,000 or more the the academic %BIA TRA FOR ir Bell, Big Bell, Str Leg, and Boot Cut )enim or Corduroy I T-Shirts s- $2.99 an4 IOE LEVY'S uarters For Most Anything AND BRITCHES BRtES Corner Lady And Asaembi, crease year were required to pay only $30 per semester. Beginning in the fall, assistants with stipends above $1,800 and with duties normally requiring at least 15 hours per week will have to pay $75 per semester and $25 a course in the summer. Stipends for these assistants will be adjusted so that their take-home pay will not be reduced, according to the resolution passed by the Board. Assistants with stipends ranging from $1,200 to $1,800 and working about 10.hours per week will have to pay $150 per semester and $50 a course in summer school. Provost Keith Davis told the Board, "We're trying to get three things straightened out that have been problems for the past three years. With this we intend to limit the amount of fee reduction graduates receive depending on how much they work. We have been giving full reductions to people who worked on one-quarter time and lot of departments were using many of them. With this they should no longer do this." Also, law school students who work in the writing clinic will be treated like graduate students and get reduced fees, Davis said. Previously, such students received no reductions. "This will make a more equitable system," he said. DITION aight $1.99 1 $3.99