By MADDY TIGHE
(THE PICKET)- In their meeting, Thursday Feb. 25, 2016, Shepherd University’s Board of Governors approved a raise in tuition as much as 5 percent, for undergraduate and graduate students. A spike in prices for dining, housing, and other unlisted services and utilities has also seen a rise.
Right now, in-state tuition for full-time undergraduate students is $3,415, and for out-of-state full-time undergraduate students it is $8,314. These increases are potentially placing tuition for undergraduate in-state students seeing an increase as high as $3,585 per semester, and for undergraduate out-of-state students as high as $8,741 per semester.
Most students are unaware of these hikes.
“I think it’s ridiculous that all three years I’ve been here they have raised the tuition. Most recently I’m not even going to b
e reaping the benefits of the increase,” said Blair Cherelstein, a junior mass communications major. “I just personally don’t understand the system, or how it’s fair. What they could have done is not cut the budget of events around campus that get money for Shepherd, instead of charging more from the students.”
Cherelstein added, “With the expensive costs of books and other supplies needed for class, it’s becoming nearly impossible to afford school and not come out on the other side in debt over your head. Education should not cost an arm and a leg.”
“I live in Pennsylvania, but I live 40 minutes from the school. I don’t think that because I live technically out of state, the increases should be almost triple the amount than they are for someone who lives four hours away but is still in the state of West Virginia,” said Samantha Furlong, a sophomore nursing major.
“I’ve been in the SGA meetings so I know why. Yeah it sucks, but at the same time it almost needs to happen,” said Shelby Maly, a junior sports marketing major.