With all the whining sob stories about dreamies, articles like this are few and far between. Does NM give in-state tuition to illegal aliens? If they do, this is a huge reason why fees are raised for everyone. If they charge illegal aliens out of state fees, US citizens residents wouldn't have to cough up more money!

http://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_12103814

NMSU regents OK increase in tuition, other costsBy Ashley Meeks Sun-News reporter
Posted: 04/09/2009 12:00:00 AM MDT


For more information about NMSU, click here.

LAS CRUCES — The price of tuition, housing and meals is going up at New Mexico State University.

By a vote of 3-2, the board of regents approved a 5 percent tuition increase to help pay for $5.9 million in new funds the university is budgeting.

Tuition will rise from $2,379 to $2,499 for a full-time in-state undergraduate; from $7,370 to $7,575 for a full-time out-of-state undergraduate; and from $2,554 to $2,682 for a full-time in-state grad student.

Housing also will increase 4 to 6 percent, with resulting rates of $264 to $811, all except single rooms in Chamisa, the newest dorm, lower than rates around town. The three largest meal plans will also increase by 6 percent, from $1,277 to $1,355.

The university's in a tough place, said Senior Vice President Jennifer Taylor, who presented the budget. Last year, NMSU had $14.8 million in new funding; this year, "we're getting no (additional) money from the state. We're getting less. We have to give money back."

She said later, "to have the state force us into a budget contraction ... it puts a gun to our heads and says, "Go cut.'"

The regents will finalize the university's full budget in May.

Newly elected regents vice chairman Javier M. Gonzales and student regent Christopher Anaya were the two dissenting votes, suggesting instead the university cut the increase to 4.5 percent.

A 4.5 percent increase


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would reduce that $3.4 million by about $350,000, or $12 per student, Taylor said. A 5 percent tuition and fee increase is projected to result in $3.4 million in new tuition and fee money; students already pay a total $67.9 million in tuition and fees out of a total university budget of around $600 million.
That $12 difference may not seem like a lot, Gonzales said, likening it to municipal budgets in which a proposed tax is likened to the price of a pizza for every taxpayer. But, he said, those high prices stay and "we end up eating a whole lot of pizza."

"We're looking at the students for about $3.4 million," Gonzales said, adding that he'd like to see tuition increase used "as a last resort."

"We certainly don't want to put it on the students' backs," said regent Laura Conniff. "We don't want to put it anywhere. But we're out of money."

Faculty Senate President Joe Pfeiffer agreed, saying the situation at NMSU was far less painful than at the University of New Mexico.

"If Jennifer says we need a 5 percent tuition increase, we need it," Pfeiffer said, prompting Gonzales to quip, "I've never been in an environment where there was so much advocacy for tuition increases."

Regents Chairman Blake Curtis said although he had been "one of those students who felt the $12 ... we've cut as far as we can without cutting positions."

While ASNMSU President Justin O'Connell endorsed the full 5 percent at the meeting, student regent Anaya countered with the 4.5 percent compromise, saying, "at this point in time, every dollar counts."

"We have been held hostage by a number of events and circumstances," Interim President Waded Cruzado said. "NMSU is not an institution that imposes decisions on its students ... When the Legislature decided we needed to come up with a 2.5 percent cut, in the same year, I was able to come back and say, "Central administration will absorb that.'"

Taylor said the budget was geared to weather what she hoped would be "a passing storm" and pledged a change once the clouds passed: "I know every dollar means something to a student, but ... when we come to 2011, I won't be in here asking for a large increase or significant cuts."

Much blame for the increase was also placed on the state funding formula's tuition revenue credit. In anticipation of tuition revenue to a university, the state deducts a "tuition revenue credit" from the money they give a university, something Gonzales said "entice[s] universities to raise tuition."

"Basically, the state is requiring us to raise tuition," Taylor said, noting tuition will still be among the lowest in the state and that under an agreement with students, the increase could have been as high as 8.5 percent. Even cutting "too much more out of administration ... will affect programs," she warned.

But the state Higher Education Department disputes NMSU's interpretation.

NMSU's appropriation from the state is $125.2 million, which was reduced $1.6 million to account for tuition revenue, according to Tino Pestalozzi, director of Institutional Finance and Capital Projects for the state Higher Education Department.

To say the state "required" the tuition hike is incorrect said HED Communications Director Laura J. Mulry.

"Each institution chooses to make up or prepare its budget however it sees fit," Mulry said. She added, "There is no requirement. They interpret it as such."

Tuition at Doña Ana Community College will rise to $600 for in-district students, $720 for out-of-district students and $1,800 for out-of-state students. Tuition will also increase at all of NMSU's other branch colleges except Carlsbad, which passed a mil levy to avoid an increase.


Ashley Meeks can be reached at ameeks@lcsun-news.com; (575) 541-5462



The numbers
Tuition: 2008-09/2009-10

Full-time in-state undergraduate: $2,379/$2,499

Full-time out-of-state undergraduate: $7,370.40/$7,575

Full-time in-state grad student: $2,554.20/$2,682