Andrew Rigazo, a board member of the Arizona Students’ Association, said Monday that 9 percent of what is collected should be allocated based on what a survey of students say are their priorities.
“Students really know where they need money, for example, if they need more advisers, if they need more TAs (teaching assistants), if we need more staff in the financial aid office,’’ he said. But Rigazo said the results of that survey would not be the last word, with the actual decision made by the Tuition Task Force. We’re not giving the students unbridled access of millions of dollars,’’ he said.
 Mark Appleton, a board member of the Arizona Students Association, discusses Monday his organization’s response to proposals by the presidents of the three public universities for tuition hikes. (Capitol Media Services-Howard Fischer) |
The ASA also wants what Rigazo called more “transparency’’ in the process, specifically where the tuition dollars are going. He said having each university put out a budget, with the state tax dollars and tuition revenues jumbled together, provides little assistance for students to determine if their funds are being properly used.
That would include how much of the salaries of each of the three university presidents are being paid directly by tuition.
Rigazo declined to criticize the salaries and the pay and benefit increases each are receiving.
“Obviously what the three presidents are making is a lot of money,’’ he said, led by Michael Crow of Arizona State University whose total benefit package, depending on whose numbers are used, ranges from $695,500 to $728,750. “But in the end of things, it doesn’t really have an effect on tuition.’’
He said what it does relate to, though, is accountability of the Board of Regents into where the tuition dollars are going.
“If any of the tuition dollars are going to the presidents’ salaries, we sure would like to know that,’’ Rigazo said. “But as of right now, we don’t know.’’
The ASA comments come as the regents are weighing proposals for tuition hikes from the three university presidents.
At the main campus of the University of Arizona, the current $5,531 in undergraduate tuition and fees for in-state residents would rise by 12.8 percent, to $6,327.
The hike for UA South would be 10.3 percent from current levels, to $5,298.
At Arizona State University the figures are considerably more complex because of a guarantee to cap year-over-year tuition hikes to 5 percent.
Current freshmen would pay $5,932 next year, with tuition for the current sophomore class going to $5,569.
But the base tuition for incoming freshmen — the figure to which that 5 percent annual increase would apply, would be $6,250, a 10.4 percent boost over current levels.
At Northern Arizona University, about 40 percent of current students are protected from higher tuition under a one-price guarantee. But a boost in fees would hike the total cost by 3 percent to $5,609.
Those who chose not to enroll in the tuition guarantee would see a 9.2 percent, bringing total costs to $5,700. And the tuition for all incoming students at the main campus would be $6,205, or 13.9 percent higher than this year; a 6.4 percent boost at Yuma and statewide campuses would put tuition and fees at $5,161.
The ASA did not take an official position on any of the proposals. But Rigazo said the organization generally believes that costs should not rise more than the cost of living, a figure it puts closer to 3 percent.
Rigazo said, though, ASA remains supportive of the policy of the regents to divert 15 percent of all tuition revenues to financial aid.
“This state sorely lacks financial aid from the state,’’ he said. “This 15 percent allows students who might not be able to go to college to be able to afford to go to college.’’
That set-aside has come under fire from some lawmakers who say it makes state universities less affordable for many middle class students.
State university presidents earning more
(AP) — University presidents are earning good money and will likely earn more during the current economic downturn, according to a national survey.
The top earners among university presidents include Arizona State University’s Michael Crow, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education, which conducted the survey of university presidents’ pay.
Crow, the Chronicle said, has a compensation package of $728,750, including salary, car and housing allowances, and retirement contributions.
The amount conflicts with an earlier report by the Arizona Board of Regents that lists Crow’s salary as $695,500 for 2007-08. The lower number would still put him in the top 20. ASU officials said the Chronicle amount miscalculated retirement pay.
University of Arizona President Robert Shelton had a pay package worth $549,400 and ranked No. 47 among public university presidents.
Northern Arizona University President John Haeger made $421,918 and ranked No. 96.
Officials at NAU said Haeger’s salary was $424,408, slightly higher than reported by the Chronicle.
The highest paid university president, according to the Chronicle, was Ohio State University’s Gordon Gee with a $1.3 million pay package.
The Chronicle survey said Arizona university presidents don’t get automatic pay raises every year, but they do earn more when their contracts are renewed.
Crow’s largest pay increase was 2007, when it increased by 25 percent.
High pay among university presidents likely will bring greater scrutiny from parents, students and lawmakers this year as the U.S. struggles with an economic downturn and families worry about paying rising tuition, said Jeff Selingo, editor of the Chronicle.
Supporters, including Arizona regent Robert Bulla, say good college presidents are worth the price because they oversee budgets and work forces larger than some private companies.
“I’m not apologetic at all for the compensation,” Bulla said. “In my mind, they are probably underpaid for the education they have to have and their management skills.”
