June 3, 2008

LIVINGSTON, Ala.--Actions taken June 2 by The University of West Alabama Board of Trustees will ensure top priorities are met at the University following a 10.8 percent cut in UWA’s portion of the state education budget, said President Richard D. Holland.

“The board approved a 12 percent tuition increase to support the University’s mission of educating young men and women and preparing them to lead our state,” Holland said. “A UWA education is still a great value, as we rank among the lowest in the state in tuition rates.”

This increase marks the highest change in several years for the 173-year-old Livingston institution. Modest undergraduate tuition increases in previous years include a 7 percent rise in 2007 and a 2.7 percent growth in 2005. In 2006, UWA was one of the few universities in the state with no increase at all.

Although the University is facing a loss of about $1.57 million from the state, UWA will not cut any programs or positions in the 2008-09 academic year. The tuition increase will cover additional support for faculty and staff insurance and retirement needs, fund rising energy costs and ensure academic programs have the resources required to meet national accreditation standards.

UWA will also increase scholarship monies to help ease the financial burden placed on incoming freshmen and returning students.

“We are very sensitive to the rising costs placed on families, especially during this trying economic time,” Holland said. “We believe this tuition increase is realistic to what our students can handle.”

Holland added that he doesn’t expect the tuition increase to affect UWA’s growing enrollment, which stood at 4,186 in fall 2007—a 15 percent jump from the previous year.

“It will be more expensive for students to attend UWA in the fall,” he said. “I wish we did not have to raise our tuition, but in order to continue to excel and enhance the institution, we have to generate resources that allow us to do that.”