Matthew Hurtt

Tennessee’s $800 million budget shortfall is raising eyebrows among the leaders in the Tennessee higher education system. After ten percent cuts earlier this semester, Governor Bredesen is asking universities to make tough decisions once again, in an effort to balance the books in Tennessee.

Last week, MTSU President Sidney McPhee made two presentations to concerned students, faculty, staff, and community members in an attempt to clarify how MTSU intends to address the issue of forthcoming budget cuts.

The Tennessean pontificated last week the tuition may rise up to 24% at universities like MTSU. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average rate of tuition in Tennessee in 2004 was $4,258, adjusting for this semester’s six percent increase would raise the average to about $4,514. Should a 24% hike become a financial reality, students can expect tuition to jump to about $5,597, or about $2,799 per semester.

WHICH brings us to an important question: how much is tuition in other states? Tennessee’s (in-state) tuition - based on the 2004 numbers - puts it at the 31st most expensive state (including D.C., which admittedly isn’t a state) to go to college, which is still relatively low. In fact, utilizing the 2004 numbers, the average tuition for in-state admittance to a state university is about $5,000 - just about $800 more than in-state tuition in Tennesse.

What’s my point? Sorry guys, I’m not going to be able to sympathize with the majority of students who feel slighted by a forthcoming tuition increase. Even in the Southeast, Tennessee runs the average as far as tuition costs. Other Southeastern states fall evenly above and below Tennessee’s costs.

Comparing the possible increase in tuition to 2004 figures still puts Tennessee at the #17 state in tuition costs, and that doesn’t account for other state’s increases.

Yes, college students get upset because it directly affects them, but - in the grand scheme of things - we’ve got it better than many people.