University of Hawaii to present new tuition schedule to community statewide
KAHULUI, Maui, Hawai‘i (August 26, 2011) – The University of Hawai‘i will be presenting to the community in the coming weeks a proposed tuition schedule it is recommending to take effect in fall 2012 through the spring 2017. At a meeting of the Board of Regents at UH Maui College, President M.R.C. Greenwood briefed members on the university’s ongoing fiscal challenges in light of state budget constraints, the plans for the new tuition schedule, and the university’s anticipated requests of the 2012 HawaiĘ»i State Legislature.
-University of Hawaii System
University of Hawaii is proposing a tuition increase to take effect in 2012 school year at all UH college campuses. The new “tuition schedule,” as one of its goals, aims to increase financial aid to support students and help parents in the cost of college tuition. What first came to mind, for me, is I should graduate as soon as possible to avoid the higher tuition fees. Every semester there is an increase of fees from tuition costs to housing fees.
In Hawaii, the cost of living is tremendously higher than most US states. Therefore, it becomes overwhelming for me to think yet of more increases in cost of attending college and living expenses, or where and how to find bargain prices on food and essentials. I become anxious about graduating sooner than planned to avoid rising tuition fees. I hope this does not influence my studies when I feel I’m rushing myself.
Despite this thinking, I hope students are encouraged to become more resourceful. I believe that one reason students are discouraged from attending college to earn degrees and enter the workforce is the lack of financial resources to fund their education. This also results in other option, such as joining the military, working full-time while attending college part-time. Other students drop out. I see these as frequent occurrences for Micronesian students who venture off from home to find a college education only to struggle or discontinue their education. D Bruce Johnstone and Pamela N. Marcucci, in Financing Higher Education Worldwide, observe the “divergence between trajectories of steeply rising higher educational costs and the flat or even declining trajectories of available public revenues” (20).
Higher tuition costs are being implemented at institutions every school year while the public and community struggle in the declining economy. The good that can come out of this is helping students become more resourceful, but how are we, as educators and the community, to help in this matter? I believe this can be a starting point to rethink and reevaluate goals of educators in the Republic of Palau. Not only do we have to educate our students in academic fields, but we need to inspire in them confidence and independence. Something to ponder on and take into action.
Johnstone, D. B. & Marcucci, P.N., (2010). Financing higher education worldwide. Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press
