When thousands of Louisiana college students return to classes this week, many of them face another round of boosted costs, as the price tag for getting a degree creeps ever higher.
Two of Louisiana’s four public college systems—the LSU and Southern University systems—enacted campuswide fee hikes of up to 5% on their students. The ever-increasing fee charges aren’t covered by the state’s TOPS tuition aid program.
Full-time students on LSU’s main campus in Baton Rouge are paying $282 more a semester. On Southern’s campus, full-time undergraduates have to pony up an extra $217 per semester. At Southern University at New Orleans, they’re paying $169 a semester more. Students are facing higher charges at LSU’s campuses in Alexandria, Shreveport and Eunice, too.
The decision stunned some state lawmakers who thought students would be spared such increases after higher education was shielded from state financing cuts.
After three special sessions this year, lawmakers reached a deal to renew 0.45% of an expiring 1% state sales tax to close much of a looming budget gap and stave off hefty cuts in the 2018-19 year.
Concern about steep cuts to public colleges and the TOPS program was a driving force to help collect the votes needed to pass the tax. Higher education officials were prominent in the Louisiana Capitol during debate.
LSU board member Blake Chatelain said: “Costs are rising every year. Faculty salaries are 10 percent below peer. Expenditures per student are significantly below peer.”
