Skyrocketing tuition rates around the state, resulting from tuition deregulation, are placing a heavy burden on students and their families. These bills would provide some relief by restoring caps on tuition, giving control back to the elected Legislature.

1. A majority of Texans, 58 percent, believe that tuition should be set by the Legislature, and not by universities, according to a February 2005 Scripps Howard Texas Poll. Tuition rates affect all Texans because the economy is better off when everybody can attend a university.

2. Tuition has skyrocketed across the state since 2003, when tuition was deregulated. Tuition has increased an average of 23 percent across the state since then. Tuition at the University of Texas at Austin leaped 37 percent from the fall 2003, and at Texas A&M University, tuition jumped 21 percent.
3. There is no end in sight for these tuition increases. University systems across the state have already approved large increases for tuition for the 2005-2006 year. At UT-Austin, a student in the business school taking 12 hours will have an increase of 14.22 percent next year.
4. Working students are punished under the flat-rate system. One of the consequences of tuition deregulation has been the broad implementation of flat-rate tuition in state schools. Students taking less than 14 hours pay much higher increases in tuition than those taking 14 hours or more. Working students, many of whom come from financially under-privileged families, cannot take as many credit-hours and are punished for their economic status.
5. Higher tuition is bad for the economy because it restricts access to Texas universities. A well educated populace is important for Texas. The Texas Comptroller's office reports that every dollar invested in higher education in Texas returns $5 to the economy. As education becomes more restricted, businesses will be less likely to view Texas as a place to invest. As businesses leave the state, professionals will leave the state as well.
6. The boards who set tuition are unelected, unaccountable, and do not serve the interests of the students. The governing boards make financial decisions that affect hundreds of thousands of students across the state but answer to nobody. Elected legislators are better able to balance the needs of students with the financial needs of higher education institutions in Texas. Tuition-setting authority needs to be in the hands of responsive lawmakers!

- Full version

- House version

- Senate version

- back to the UT Watch Legislative agenda homepage