WSU, Oakland Raise Tuition Rates
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - Wayne State University is raising tuition 8.9 percent, a jump much greater than those of other public universities in Michigan.
Also announced Wednesday, Oakland University has also approved a tuition increase of 3.75 percent. For undergrads taking 30 credit hours, that amounts to about a $400 increase.
Wayne State Board of Governors Chairwoman Debbie Dingell blames the higher tuition on the state's failure to adequately fund universities, saying Michigan "has decided higher education is not a high priority."
The board for the Detroit school adopted a $576 million budget Wednesday. That's up 1.7 percent from 2012-13.
The budget raises the tuition for a full-time resident undergraduate by $904 for 2013-14. Wayne State says it's increasing financial aid by 11 percent to ease the burden.
Wayne State senior Portia Dave said hike will be a blow to her final year.
"Well, I know it's definitely impacting the amount of credits I can take each semester because there is no way that I can afford that much of an increase," Dave told WWJ Newsradio 950.
Meantime, Michigan State University trustees are raising tuition 1.9 percent for instate freshmen and sophomores and 3.6 percent for juniors and seniors. And University of Michigan regents are raising instate tuition 1.1 percent.
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