Utah State University Students to Join Rally for Fair Tuition Increase

October 23, 2000

The rally will be Oct. 27 at the Utah Board of Regents’ meeting at Weber State University in Ogden. USU students will join students from other colleges and universities in the state. Associated Students of Utah State University will provide free bus transportation to the rally, which should take about three hours of students’ time.

“It will be the last opportunity that we’ll have as students to voice our opinion,” said Ben Riley, president of ASUSU. “Since all of the universities will send representatives, I’m sure there will be a large number of students.”

The large tuition increase was suggested to the Regents by at least two presidents of Utah colleges and universities, Riley said, but USU President George Emert is not one of the presidents asking for a double-digit increase.

“We’ve heard proposals that ask for at least 10 percent, and the maximum that I’ve heard is 25 percent,” Riley said. “That’s huge. For us, that’s about $600.”

Riley said he doesn’t support any tuition increase unless the state of Utah will match what the students would have to pay. Last year, the Regents rejected a proposal to match a 3 percent tuition increase.

“We feel it isn’t wise to raise tuition when the state isn’t willing to put in matching funds,” Riley said. “About 70 percent of our students work. For them to make minimum wage and pay a $600 increase isn’t realistic.”