Facing soaring energy costs and the commitment to enhance academic instruction and excellence, the University of Houston is considering an increase in tuition and fees for FY2007.

The proposed increase would cost a resident undergraduate student taking 12 hours about $263 more per semester.

President Jay Gogue will ask the UH System Board of Regents to approve this increase at a specially called meeting April 3. The proposed increased is the recommendation of the Tuition and Fee Committee headed by John M. Rudley, vice president for administration and finance; Donald J. Foss, provost; and Elwyn C. Lee, vice president for student affairs.

The increase represents a 9.9 percent rise over the FY2006 rates.

More than a third of that increase – 3.8 percent – is needed to defray energy costs that have climbed far beyond projections.

“We have done some serious belt-tightening to keep this increase as low as possible. This budget represents a 5-percent cut in our administrative costs,” said Provost Foss. “I am pleased to report that not only will there be no reductions in our instructional budget, but that the President’s plan allows us to hire new faculty to continue building academic excellence.”

In addition to the UH increase, the Board of Regents will be asked to vote on similar proposals for the other UH System institutions. Specifically: UH-Clear Lake, 8.9 percent; UH-Downtown, 9.9 percent; and
UH-Victoria, 7.5 percent.

Eric Gerber
ergerber@central.uh.edu