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UA must keep tuition rate low, maintain faculty, Likins says

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat UA President Peter Likins speaks at a recent Arizona Board of Regents meeting. Likins said this week he wants to see the university maintain its faculty and facilities without increasing tuition.

UA President Peter Likins said the university's tuition, financial aid and private endowments need to be restructured in order to keep education affordable for as many in-state students as possible.

Changing the University of Arizona's method of bringing in revenue is necessary to ensure that no state resident is denied the opportunity to enroll at the UA because of inadequate funds, Likins stated in an e-mail interview.

Likins also expressed the need to make the university's faculty and facilities among the best in the nation.

"The first goal would require a significant program of financial aid from some source even if tuition were free, due to the costs of residential life on this campus," he stated.

During a Sunday interview on KVOA-TV, Likins told a group of UA students that tuition and the amount of available financial aid are too low.

Yesterday, he further detailed his concerns.

Likins said the amount of money students spend on living far outweighs that which is paid for tuition

Likins also said the increasing cost of maintaining the UA facilities and adequately paying faculty members directly affects students.

"We are not maintaining our facilities and equipment properly, and we are losing faculty to our competitors in critical fields, so students cannot get into the courses they want in their chosen fields," he wrote.

Likins referred to the state Constitution, which states that the cost of in-state tuition should be as free as possible.

"So what should the tuition be? Among the primary state universities in America, our in-state tuition is 48th; only two states charge less for their 'flagship' university," he stated.

Likins also stated that tuition is only a small part of the university's income.

"Total annual expenditures at the University of Arizona approach a billion dollars, with less than 10 percent of that money coming in the form of tuition from Arizona residents," he wrote.

Likins said tuition increases should occur only with increases in financial aid.

"In the national marketplace there is clearly room for a higher in-state tuition at Arizona, but this revenue cannot be generated unless we can simultaneously increase financial aid, due to the first goal described above," he wrote.

Members of the Arizona Students' Association, a lobbyist group that represents university students on the state and federal level, agreed with Likins' ideas.

ASA Director Sam Leyvas said he likes Likins' ideas, especially the potential financial aid increase.

"It is important to look at what he is saying," Leyvas said. "Tuition should only be raised if financial aid is raised as well."

Although he agreed that state tuition is very low, Leyvas said comparisons need to based on appropriate terms.

"I think I agree with Dr. Likins statements," he said. "Of course, if we compare ourselves to the most expensive universities, then we will be one of the lowest in the nation."

Judy Gignac, a member of the Arizona Board of Regents, agreed with Likins that in-state tuition at the UA is comparable to other schools.

"When compared to the other 49 states, we're a pretty good bargain," she said.

Gignac later said that the regents are not considering any proposals for major tuition increases.

"I don't believe that there is any appetite on the board of regents for any major increase in tuition," she said. "That isn't to say that the UA does not need more funding, though."

Leyvas said Likins was accurate on his assessment of the student financial aid situation.

"I agree with Dr. Likins that we need to increase financial aid," he said. "The UA, like all other Arizona universities, never, ever, ever has enough financial aid for the students to use."

Gignac said the board concurs with the need for more financial aid.

"A lot of us do believe that the financial aid needs to be higher," she said.

In his statement, Likins said tuition increases are just one of the proposals to increase funding for the school.

Likins said last week that the university is in the early stages of a major fundraising campaign that could bring in "hundreds of millions of dollars" from private sources over the next 10 years.

Leyvas said private endowments are a much-needed part of student life.

Likins warned, though, that without private endowments, the university will be forced to turn to either the Arizona Legislature or students for additional funding.

"Eventually, something will break and either the state will come forward with more funds, or tuition will rise more rapidly," he said.