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Students OK
with UH-Hilo
tuition raise

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By Rod Thompson
Big Island correspondent

HILO -- A proposal for modest university tuition increases has caused barely a ripple at the University of Hawaii-Hilo.

Only two students spoke at a public hearing on the proposal yesterday, and both said the increases are fair.

Student Becky Kawaihae said, "I know the tuition I pay is relatively cheap for the education I'm getting."

Student Koyu Wenty said, "This modest increase is very fair."

None of the money from the increases would go for salary increases, said UH Vice President Colleen Sathre.

Under the proposal, tuition paid by UH-Hilo freshmen and sophomores would go from $708 per semester now to $756 next year. It would rise to $996 in five years.

Tuition paid by juniors and seniors would go from $1,140 per semester now to $1,152 next year. In five years it would be $1,236.

Next year's upper-class UH-Hilo rates are 55 percent of the level proposed for the Manoa campus.

Graduate students at UH-Hilo would see a decrease from $2,016 per semester this year to $1,884 next year, then gradual increase.

Per-credit-hour rates for all community colleges would remain the same until 2003-2004, increasing slightly after that. But a discount for students taking more than 12 credits per semester would end.

Additional hearings are Tuesday at Leeward Community College, Wednesday at Maui Community College, Thursday at Manoa, and Friday at Kauai Community College. All hearings are at 3 p.m.

Additional details are available at www.hawaii.edu/ovppp/