TROY—Troy University will not increase tuition for students attending its Alabama campuses during the 2006-2007 academic year, according to Chancellor Jack Hawkins, Jr.

It is the first time since the 1969-1970 academic year, the basic tuition rate has not seen an increase.

“Tuition increases have become almost an annual event for public universities across the United States,” Chancellor Hawkins said. “These increases, while almost always necessary for the financial stability of our institutions, are taking a toll on the families who pay the bills. We cannot return to the days when higher education was the domain of a privileged few.”

Dr. Doug Hawkins, president pro-tem of the University’s Board of Trustees, said the ability to hold the line on tuition was the result of various initiatives coming together.

“We’re so excited that Troy University is in a new era of One Great University and because of the efficiencies created and good management, we feel like we’ve created the university of tomorrow,” he said. “We’ll continue to grow the University and hold tuition to a minimum so that our great educational institution will continue as a model of higher education.”

Dr. Hawkins said the board of trustees had spent several years planning the implementation of the University’s merger and other initiatives designed to keep the University at the forefront of competitive higher education.

“This is a giant step for the University to take, especially when we’re competing with as many institutions of higher learning as we are at TROY – not only in Alabama but across the globe as well,” Dr. Hawkins said.

Another factor in the University’s ability to avoid a tuition increase was due to a 19.8 percent increase in its state appropriation, the first such significant increase for the University in more than a decade. For the 2006-2007 fiscal year, TROY will receive $52 million in state appropriations, up from more than the $43 million appropriated in the 2005-2006 fiscal year budget.

“We at TROY appreciate the Governor and the members of the State Legislature for recognizing the value of Alabama’s public universities and reflecting that recognition in next year’s budget,” Chancellor Hawkins said. “Let’s hope this signals the beginning of an annual trend.”

The TROY Chancellor said at the beginning of the 1990s, Alabama higher education was funded at 92 percent of the Southeast regional average. By the end of the decade, Alabama’s universities were funded at less than 60 percent of the regional standard.

“When I came to TROY in 1989, state appropriations made up 42 percent of our budget,” Chancellor Hawkins said. “This year, that figure is 23 percent of our budget.”

Student Government Association President Joe Hutto said the decision not to increase tuition is a welcome one for students.

“Although students know that higher education comes at a cost, we are glad to hear that tuition will not increase for the upcoming academic year,” Hutto said. “We know that Troy University always puts us at the forefront of everything that it does and this is just one more way that the administration of this great university is working for the student body.”

Undergraduate tuition for 12-16 semester hours is $2,002. Troy University will implement small fee increases for on-campus room and board for 2006-2007, as the cost for a meal plan will increase by 2.3 percent and the room rate increase for some residence halls will range from 1.3 to 3.2 percent.

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