Executive vice president and chief financial officer Dan Williams fears that Prairie View A&M University may be forced to raise tuition another $27.50 on the already proposed tuition increase of $17.00 in fall 2005 if the Texas legislature does not provide the university with $4.2 million. Williams explains that the tuition increase that will occur in fall of 2005 goes back to a commitment the legislature made to not only PVAMU, but to TSU as well. “In 2001 the legislature approved the construction of three new buildings which include the Architecture, Electrical Engineering, and Juvenile Justice and Psychology buildings, as well as repairing chilled water lines to Hobart Taylor through the Texas Commitment to the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) priority plan settlement.”
Due to other priorities in public schools across Texas, the legislature may not be able to fund PV with the $4.2 million promised in 2001.
Williams says the $17.00 fee increase that is already planned to take place is designated for faculty pay raises, the hiring of new faculty, and the improvement of classrooms/ classroom furniture. In order to keep money within institutional enhancement programs such as scholarships/ financial aid, as scholarships/ financial aid, advising, student activities and maintain education in general/ academics, the tuition will have to be raised another $27.50. Otherwise, the money will have to come from these programs which are primarily for students to pay for any debt service.
Prairie View’s governmental relations officer, Frank Jackson, explained to students how the increase in fees would affect students and the university itself.
“I want students to know about the issues on this campus that we need to address, such as the $17 million that is being cut from the university’s budget,” said Jackson. “If this were to happen, student fees will have to be increased by $27 per semester credit hour, in addition to a $17 per semester credit hour increase, and we just cannot let that happen.”
Williams assures students by stating, “Only if given proper authorization from the Board of Regents in Austin to raise tuition higher than $17, will we do so. We are trying everything in our power to stop that from happening because PV will then be one of the most expensive schools in the state.”
At the end of May, after all the debt is settled, Williams hopes the state legislature will come through with the money. If the money is not funded it is a possibility that when students come back to school in the fall tuition will be up $27.50. “If there is an increase of $27.50, there is a possibility of waiting until spring 2005. That only depends on when debt service is received and on interest rates.”
Williams also wants to assure students that any increase is for the betterment of PV as a whole. Williams says President George C. Wright’s biggest contribution while he is at PV is to “enhance the value of the degree earned,” and to increase the value of your degree and PV’s reputation for alumni as well as future graduates.