ASU Tuition Raid

Angelo State University joined the Texas Tech University System in May 2007.  Since that date, tuition and fees increased 60%.  Here's the data pictured above:

Tuition and Fees (15 credit hours in a semester)
2006 -- $2,298
2007 -- $2,555
2008 -- $2,705
2009 -- $3,068
2010 -- $3,344
2011 -- $3,675 

That's a $1,377 or 60% increase over five years.   A number of ASU professors found past tuition increases disturbing. 

Dr. Rallo took a consistent stand on increases:

2007 -- "Tuition increases are very difficult decisions,” said Dr. Rallo. “Historically, ASU has maintained affordable tuition and will continue to do so. However, without additional increases in state funding, it will be necessary to provide the required funds through tuition increases to offer the level of education students expect and we will provide.”

2008 -- ASU President Joseph C. Rallo said, “Even with the increase Angelo State remains one of the best educational values in the nation and the state, particularly when you consider the quality of the education and the amount of scholarships and financial support we provide our students.”

2009 --ASU President Joseph C. Rallo said the new tuition charges will help enhance the quality of the Angelo State educational experience through broadened student services, including student retention, and will increase the value of an ASU degree in the work place through additional accreditations being sought from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Rallo said ASU is committed to both keeping a college education within reach of the average Texas family and to enhancing the educational experience of its students. He indicated that the full impact of the increase in tuition and fees will only be felt by a minority of ASU students due to the university’s strong program of gift aid – financial assistance which does not require repayment.

2010 -- “We are mindful both of costs and of our need to grow,” said ASU President Joseph C. Rallo.  “Even with the increase, Angelo State remains one of the best educational values in the state and our extensive gift aid program means that two-thirds of ASU students on average pay only 25 percent of the actual cost of attendance because of the university’s financial support.”

Over the last decade, Rallo said tuition increases had been used to address immediate needs without providing strategic funding to build the academic programs necessary to grow enrollment.  Rallo said the new tuition rate will provide the resources for growth of academic programs and to strengthen summer school offerings.  Additionally, he said the increase will help address a state-mandated 5 percent reduction in appropriations without detrimentally affecting existing programs.

“We are committed to expanding our programs and our enrollment because in the long run that will help keep our costs down,” Rallo said.  “For every 500 additional students we enroll, we get back from the state an additional $3.7 million in funding.  This increase will help us build the programs necessary to attract more students.”

2011 -- “Angelo State University,” said Rallo, “remains committed to keeping a college education within the economic reach of all families. Since 2007 we have increased our scholarships and federal assistance from $18.5 million to $34.5 million. Despite the increases in tuition since then, the average out-of-pocket cost per student over the last four years has actually decreased, and we remain one of the best educational values in the nation.”

From here, it's expensive...

(Click on the graph above to view it larger.)