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Texas A&M University students will pay $7.25 more per semester credit hour beginning this fall -- less than half the proposed increase unveiled earlier this month, campus administrators said Monday.
Earlier this month, A&M President Elsa Murano pledged during a tuition forum to keep the increase close to $10, but said it was possible the costs could go up by as much as $16 per semester credit hour.
On Monday, she said the increase was even lower than predicted because her administrative team had scoured the budget for potential savings. The team also was able to defer some financial needs until 2010, which is when they will be able to go back to the legislature and ask for more money, she said.
"This is good news, indeed. Any time we can hold down costs for our students while still offering high-quality education is a 'win-win' for everyone," Murano said in a statement released Monday.
It was not immediately clear late Monday what cost-cutting measures have been implemented, nor was it known what needs had been deferred.
The rate still must be approved by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. The governing board is expected to consider the increase next month during its regular meeting.
The current tuition rate is about $155 per semester credit hour, which is a $10 increase over the previous year and includes a $50 charge required by the state. If approved, the price tag for the 2008-09 school year will be roughly $162 per semester credit hour.
The news was announced Monday in a video message sent from Murano and Student Body President Conner Prochaska to all Texas A&M students and press release sent to area media outlets.
The increase -- combined with administrators cost-cutting measures -- will cover the almost $25 million worth of budget needs for fiscal year 2009, Murano said.
Prochaska praised Murano for proposing an increase in tuition and fees that was lower than at any other time in the past decade. No one likes to pay more -- whether it is for gasoline or rent, he said. But this increase, he said, was "good news" when compared with the original proposal.
"I think we can all agree that in order to maintain academic excellence, Texas A&M will not likely ever be the cheapest in the state, but we definitely want Texas A&M to be the best overall value. I think that's the case," Prochaska said in the statement.
• Holly Huffman's e-mail address is holly.huffman@theeagle.com.
