After Indiana University of Pennsylvania announced last month that it proposes to end per-credit tuition, APSCUF leadership has discussed the plan in interviews and statements.
“(IUP APSCUF) has argued that the per-credit tuition model for our in-state undergraduate students would be — and is — detrimental to IUP,” IUP APSCUF Chapter President Dr. Erika Frenzel said in a statement to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “It was detrimental to the affordability of IUP to our students, detrimental to our programs and departments, and overall to our university. The decrease in enrollment caused by per-credit tuition can be linked to IUP’s financial struggles that resulted in the retrenchment of faculty, furloughing of other union-represented units, and a panicked restructuring of the university.”
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IUP APSCUF Vice President Dr. David Chambers and State APSCUF President Dr. Jamie Martin spoke with Rick Smith about how the increased costs of per-credit tuition have affected students — in how much they pay and in the cuts that have occurred at IUP since the pilot began.
“We’re deeply concerned about the level of debt that our students have entered into,” Chambers said.
They also discussed how lack of state funding for Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education has led to increased costs for Pennsylvania students pursuing higher education.
Watch the full interview below:
Also on the topic of state funding, State APSCUF Vice President Dr. Christopher Hallen appeared on “Pennsylvania Newsmakers,” hosted by past APSCUF President Dr. Terry Madonna, to discuss Gov. Tom Wolf’s budget proposal, which would increase the State System’s line item by 15%, among other boosts.
“Education is becoming more and more expensive,” Hallen said. “Back in your day, we were I think a state-funded organization. Now I think we should say we’re student-funded because the students pay the lion’s share. They pay three-quarters of the bill. And this budget should, I hope, make it more affordable for the students.”
Watch the full interview below:
The State System Board of Governors this afternoon is slated to consider the proposal to eliminate per-credit tuition at IUP and the Warrior Promise tuition program at East Stroudsburg University.