President M. Duane Nellis asked the Idaho State Board of Education for a 5.9 percent increase in tuition Wednesday — an increase that would cover only the bare minimum of the University of Idaho’s expenses in Fiscal Year 2014. The SBOE approved a 5 percent increase, which results in a $575,000 shortage in the funds UI would need to essentially break even. A decline in full-time student enrollment and a mistake in overhead recovery of research caused a $3 million deficit in UI’s budget. UI also has $3.4 million in critical expenses, such as employee benefits and faculty promotions, which meant the university needed $6.4 million to cover minimum costs in FY2014.
The university will receive $2.6 million in state funding and planned to cover the remaining $3.8 million with the 5.9 percent increase to resident in-state tuition and fees. Without the tuition increase it requested, UI’s financial outlook is not good.
This year alone, UI has accrued $3.3 million in deferred maintenance costs, meaning it cannot even pay for necessities such as lab equipment or building repairs.
This number doesn’t even include the existing $228 million in deferred maintenance costs that have accrued during the past 10 years, since the SBOE ceased covering such expenses.
The funding for higher education must come from somewhere, and in Idaho, it’s clearly not going to be from the state. If the SBOE is not going to make funding higher education a priority, then it should approve the tuition increases universities ask for when it’s obvious they are needed.
During Wednesday’s SBOE meeting, Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna said he thought students would be surprised to know their tuition dollars go toward subsidizing research.
If the members of the SBOE do not understand the process of how tuition dollars are spent and allocated at universities then why are they the ones deciding these issues?
In order to compete with peer institutions and meet the SBOE’s expectations, UI at least needs the basics — reliable buildings and equipment and adequately compensated faculty and staff.
The SBOE might argue students benefit from a smaller increase, but it clearly does not have our best interest in mind if it’s unwilling to help Idaho’s institutions attain the essential funding to provide students with an adequate education.
Buildings on campus become less appealing every year UI is unable to cover simple maintenance costs. During events such as Moms Weekend, we should feel proud to show our parents around, not embarrassed.
Each year, UI administrators ask for enough funding to cover bare minimum costs. Since the SBOE will not approve even that, UI is losing its reputation of a great education at a minimal cost and students are the ones who pay the consequences.
— BK