Feedback

2023-24 Undergraduate Tuition and Fee Increase Proposal

Mon May 22 10:04:33 PDT 2023		No
Mon May 22 10:04:36 PDT 2023		Will this affect students under the guaranteed tuition contract?
Mon May 22 10:05:21 PDT 2023		Don’t increase tuition, you need to decrease it.
Mon May 22 10:05:46 PDT 2023		Students are already struggling to pay the tuition we already have. A majority of students are homeless and sleeping with their friends in the dorms. This is ridiculous do better
Mon May 22 10:06:42 PDT 2023		This change is harming your students. Many don’t have parents to help pay for college and could be forced to take out student loans to cover costs. The institute should focus more on allocating their funds better rather than increasing their loyal students’ tuition.
Mon May 22 10:07:36 PDT 2023		Tuition in schools has already increased at a bloated rate to feed back into the cycle of the student loan market. Don't be a part of the problem.
Mon May 22 10:10:25 PDT 2023		Increasing faculty and staff salaries should be a priority with additional tuition revenue to meet the Governor's proposed 5% salary pool.
Mon May 22 10:10:57 PDT 2023		Considering education should be free, tuition is already expensive enough. Some students are not afforded the luxuries of trust funds, and having connections with the higher ups, and have to take out loans to pursue an education. My two regular jobs are still not enough to afford tuition. I am close to receiving my degree as I am a Junior. I ask you consider people like me who have it hard enough, and reconsider.
Mon May 22 10:11:26 PDT 2023		$144 may not mean much to you guys, but it’s a heck of a lot to everyone else. That’s nearly 20 hours of minimum wage. That’s not providing more opportunities like you claim, it’s the opposite. that’s making it harder for people to afford higher education. That’s making students have to work a second job for less money just to pay for college. And after the way the Tiger SmartStart was handled, I doubt you’ll use it for anything but making yourselves more money.
Mon May 22 10:11:27 PDT 2023		No increase. At least it should only be for incoming students and moving forward. Not previously enrolled stidents.
Mon May 22 10:11:28 PDT 2023		This is very unfortunate for those who barely has tuition as is!! This world is already hard and wicked, education should be free & you all are trying to make it more expensive without giving out more scholarships. More debt for the people, more drop outs, less college motivation. I absolutely do not agree to this decision as it is only beneficial to University of Memphis pockets!
Mon May 22 10:15:29 PDT 2023		With how inflation is currently many college students barely have enough money to live off of to buy food, pay rent, etc. much less pay a higher tuition. Many are working minimum wage jobs and are already taking loans. The assistance available to students is also quite low. There are very few scholarships outside of academic and hope. Those scholarships are increasingly hard to get so this increase in tuition will put lower income students at risk. If more money is needed for research then apply for grants. I think there are other ways to achieve funds rather than increasing tuition when looking at the harm it will do to lower income students and students working on their own with the current state of inflation.
Mon May 22 10:15:45 PDT 2023		I don't think the university needs to increase rates to attend, considering the amount of funds that is already contributed from the campus sports and other programs. I believe that if the university does decide that they must update the in-state tuition, that the roads should be strongly maintained in change, this being one of the biggest issues across the main campus as well as South Campus.
Mon May 22 10:16:02 PDT 2023		I see that one of the benefits is scholarships, but why am I paying for another student to go to college? I can barely afford it myself. I can understand just day-to-day operational costs based on inflation, but to add to scholarships, that is ridiculous.
Mon May 22 10:16:19 PDT 2023		So let me get this straight: the President of UofM just got a pay increase, prices are rising via inflation for students, and now is the time y’all are raising prices for tuition?!? With budget cuts? Cut the admininstrations pay-rate to make up that cost. Memphis already has major issues that it can’t fix. A shooter waltzed through campus earlier this year and there wasn’t even a notification to the students until an hour after. UofM seems to think TikTok is more dangerous to students. Memphis is not worth it for students if its not cheap. This dumpster-fire is not worth more than UT-Knoxville.
Mon May 22 10:17:22 PDT 2023		Being a student having to pay out of pocket due to not qualifying for assistance, this is very drastic. I can barely afford it now.
Mon May 22 10:22:23 PDT 2023		This university is becoming very profit based.
Mon May 22 10:22:57 PDT 2023		As a student, I find the notion of a "mandatory fee" odd in general and would prefer for that funding to be lumped in with tuition. That way, students looking at tuition prices will have a more accurate understanding of the cost of attendance. Therefore, I do not support the increase of the mandatory fee but am unopposed to the increase in tuition, provided that the proceeds are spent transparently and that everything feasible has been done to reduce the need for a tuition increase.
Mon May 22 10:23:40 PDT 2023		You guys make 6 figures, we don’t. Some of us pay out of pocket and get no fafsa help. You should be ashamed
Mon May 22 10:26:09 PDT 2023		Some bull
Mon May 22 10:26:30 PDT 2023		It is very important that the university not adopt this proposal. Tuition is already expensive enough and further raising tuition and fees will price many people out of attending or cause students to go into more debt than they can handle. In addition, raising tuition discourages the university from spending the money it has toward effectively providing a good education by distracting the university with all sorts of secondary luxuries. The University of Memphis is one of the more affordable universities in the region, and it should seek to stay that way.
Mon May 22 10:26:33 PDT 2023		I know that this won’t be a popular decision with students and their families, but this is a necessary step for keeping the university afloat. Buildings are crumbling, faculty/staff are leaving, and we are not competitive in recruiting graduate students because of lack of health care and low stipends. Thank you for taking this step.
Mon May 22 10:36:59 PDT 2023		I do not think the in-state tuition should be increased.
Mon May 22 10:40:45 PDT 2023		I think this is fine and completely understandable given the circumstances with the economy and other factors.
Mon May 22 10:43:26 PDT 2023		While I hate any tuition increase, this one seems as minimal as possible, yet will still generate some much needed funds for the University.
Mon May 22 10:44:05 PDT 2023		To be so money hungry and business smart, this university doesn't offer jack for students. There's always a new scheme or way to finesse us for a few extra dollars yet nothing is improved. I make sure to tell everyone I know how horrible U of M is and how it should never be on the table when considering a university to attend.
Mon May 22 10:49:03 PDT 2023		education should be free
Mon May 22 11:08:55 PDT 2023		An increase of undergrad tuition is only acceptable on the terms that revenue resulting is spent on undergrad educational expenses and not athletics, marketing, wages, or any other areas not directly impacting education received. Clarity on the areas these funds were spent should be shared with the undergrad students paying the price.
Mon May 22 11:13:51 PDT 2023		Do not increase tuition
Mon May 22 11:26:02 PDT 2023		The raise of tuition cost is not fair to the students of the University of Memphis. For the 2022-2023 school year the University of Memphis was able to construct a whole new building and fund many events with that tuition cost. Now that the University is getting an increase of 6.3 million for outcome productivity I don't see why they need to make students pay even more. Not many students who apply for scholarships get them, so just because you make more scholarships doesn't mean it will benefit all students.
Mon May 22 11:28:03 PDT 2023		Given the accolades the university has recently received with regards to the global online program and top 4.9% colleges in the US, the current rates should suffice while ensuring the university maintains, if not, exceeds expectations from the public as well as university board members. Given the ever-increasing “engineering fees” and such others, I feel a 1.15% increase is more than reasonable.
Mon May 22 11:31:18 PDT 2023		This is an awful thing to do to students! We do not have any money as it is. We are struggling to pay for the mandatory meal plan which is almost 400.00! The book plan (Tiger SmartStart) is trying to charge me 400.00 for 2 books! The plans you all have are not covered by Fasfa and are extremely pricey and nonnegotiable. The professors are awful, especially in the Biology Department! We have no one to choose from. The professors are known for being awful and failing students! If you bring up the problem of the school being understaffed and the students having to pay for it with low grades, they tell you there is nothing we can do. For all the crime that happens around University of Memphis, you all should be paying us to attend. Our lives are constantly in danger and you all sweep it under the rug. You all do not care about us nor our well being, but the amount of money in our pockets!
Mon May 22 11:36:14 PDT 2023		I am a middle-aged, single woman trying to put myself through college, law school to be exact, and working full time I am only able to do online classes and the as a transfer student, I am not liable for many of the FASFA/ state grants. Increasing the tuition only burdens and discourages persons such as myself who were subjected to a student loan in order to achieve life/ career goals and with the federal government making that a worrisome decision, it is very upsetting that we are now dealing with increased payments to the institution aka the state.
Mon May 22 11:36:20 PDT 2023		NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Mon May 22 11:38:17 PDT 2023		I don’t think it will be a good idea to raise instate tuition. We, college students, already struggling to pay what we are receiving. Are y’all going to give us money ??
Mon May 22 11:45:22 PDT 2023		UofM has gotten on just fine the last four years with no increase in tuition and fees, so I don't see the need for this besides greed.
Mon May 22 11:45:23 PDT 2023		With this 2.86% increase, I would be interested in knowing what the plan is to increase the graduation rates of U of M which currently sit at 33.4% for 4 years, 45.0% for 5 years, and 48.2% for 6 years. If you are going to insist on passing on the cost to the student, there should be some sort of effort seen by the students to show that their investment is worth the risk. This is one of the biggest purchases of their lifetime. What will be done to help the students succeed? This is not just about the students, but the community as a whole. How can the city of Memphis expect to grow when the university is not fully investing in one of the best resources it has available - the young minds that have the drive and ability to do it?
Mon May 22 11:50:37 PDT 2023		Because I do not have confidence that the money will go back to benefitting students, faculty, or campus workers, I do not support this increase. If you are proud of the low-tuition statistic (and you should be!), do not increase the already prohibitive cost of education. So many people are unable to secure an education, which I believe is a basic human right, because they cannot afford it. This will only prohibit even more people from pursuing their education. Perhaps the needed money can come from people who already have too much money (those at the top of university hierarchies) rather than students, who typically have barely enough money to survive or stay in school. Additionally, in an economy that increasingly undervalues education, students certainly should not pay more something that is offering fewer opportunities in today's job market. Thanks for reading my feedback.
Mon May 22 11:53:55 PDT 2023		You need to just stop. You can make all the “ Purposes for Which Revenue Derived from the Tuition and Mandatory Fee” excuses you want. At the end of the day you’re putting thousands of dollars of debt on to 17-21 year old KIDS. You and I both know undergraduate degrees are a base level requirement for most jobs. Maybe instead of building; a music building, a new gym, a big walkway (which took way too long to build), another parking garage and athlete only dorms, you could oh I don’t know mange your money better so you’re not over spending and forcing kids to go further into debt. Your spending is beyond your means and you try to cover it by saying it’s “for the kids”. You don’t even ask student’s what they want anyway. Just so incompetent. Stop trying to raise prices and do better.
Mon May 22 11:56:21 PDT 2023		What specifically will the money be used for?
Mon May 22 11:56:34 PDT 2023		I do believe we should not raise tuition for in-state students. You have built/are building 2 new buildings now. Wait before building more, possibly renovate some dormitories, and save up for your next big purchase like all of us have to do.
Mon May 22 12:01:42 PDT 2023		how much more money do you want?
Mon May 22 12:18:35 PDT 2023		Eliminate D.E.I. and you wouldn't have to raise it.
Mon May 22 12:19:06 PDT 2023		This is just wrong and unfair. Are you going to provide more scholarships ?
Mon May 22 12:33:15 PDT 2023		While understandable that the current economy may require an increase in tuition and fees, it is worrisome to see a tuition and fees increase on the heels of lower enrollment. I would hope that the additional and continued services be laid out more explicitly to students to help them understand the need for the tuition increase.
Mon May 22 12:45:05 PDT 2023		As an alumni, current student, and graduate assistant, I do not agree with this rise in tuition.
Mon May 22 13:05:48 PDT 2023		If it is truly something that the school needs to do in order to not be in financial ruins, then I support it. But please do not make any tuition increase decisions that can within reason be avoided. College is already expensive enough! Even ten dollars is too much of an increase in some cases. So, all I ask is to truly consider if the increase is absolutely necessary.
Mon May 22 13:35:06 PDT 2023		Although there has been a 0% tuition increase in 3 of the past 8 years, the notion of increasing tuition is not justified. Many students have low income due to being a full-time student on top of an increasing inflation rate, cost of living, and now increase in tuition. The increase in tuition makes it harder on students to get by, adding on to the additional stress they already have from their practices of gaining knowledge as a student. From 1980, the college tuition inflation rate is up 1,184% and overall inflation is up 228%. The average cost of obtaining a degree has vastly outpaced the average salary of a degree holder. This means that raising tuition cost feeds into the problem, and effectively, degree-required industries decline by no longer requiring them, a trend that only continues when tuition is raised, as we've seen across the board for several decades. Throughout all of civilization, schools have made a better world by educating the masses to contribute effectively to society, so in contrast, schools have a huge responsibility to maintain this pipeline of educated citizens for the betterment of humanity. Colleges have a choice to truly be for the people and set an example and inspire people that there is hope in higher education by prioritizing that responsibility of maintaining the pipeline, but raising tuition cost stifles all of that. There are better ways to profit in order to finance the institution, and maybe it requires some innovating. If that is the case, I hope to be a proud student of the University of Memphis because of their innovative ways to put their large student body first rather than the destructive decision of increasing costs. Respectfully, the future of America.
Mon May 22 13:41:42 PDT 2023		Why would the university increase students fees at a time of high inflation. We are already paying enough for the education and the value, what additional value does this add to our education experience.
Mon May 22 14:09:55 PDT 2023		Tuition raises seem necessary if the university wants to become competitive. Other institutions have successfully implemented high tuition with need/merit-based financial aid.
Mon May 22 14:25:10 PDT 2023		I would like to know how the mandatory fees are allocated. Of those allocations, what justifies the $60 mandatory fee increase?
Mon May 22 14:33:02 PDT 2023		Please be for real. The only reason why most students chose Memphis was because of the low tuition fees.
Mon May 22 14:35:54 PDT 2023		I have been a student at UofM since 2015. Tuition fees are already very high for in state and bordering residential students. Tuition and fees for in-state students are $8,208, while tuition and fees for out-of-state students are $12,048. The University only has a 52% graduation rate and that is low. I OPPOSE the tuition increase proposal!
Mon May 22 14:38:16 PDT 2023		I vehemently oppose the idea of increasing mandatory fees when I do not see the benefit of the mandatory fees I already pay. The fees are markedly higher than any other institution I have attended, which says a lot considering UofM does not boast the benefits of the other institutions with regards to student services and operational functions. As a graduate student, I have previously attended community college and 4 year university. Campus fees for those institutions covered parking, graduation regalia, student back-to-school week festivities (including campus fairs and concerts with acclaimed performers), and the provision of campus security and police services. Operations on campus are totally inadequate. Last semester, parking passes were sent out late or were not received at all, causing a backlog of students lining up at the Zach Curlin office. SAFETY absolutely needs to be a priority at UofM. There is an attitude of passivity here that "crime in Memphis is inexorable" - this absolutely should not be accepted, and especially not on campus. Campus is one of the most targeted areas for crime in the city and it is shameful. Then the university has the audacity to claim that UofM has one of the safest campuses in TN. What absolutely bogus statistics were manipulated to create that statement? How is increasing mandatory fees going to fix the issue of safety? Students should not have to give you more money when you have a history of mismanaging it. UofM Board of Trustees, step it up.
Mon May 22 15:24:09 PDT 2023		Will there be data provided detailing specific uses of the monies the university expects to gain through this increase in tuition and fees? Percentages and/or totals allocated to salaries in general along with the specific increases in the salaries of the top earners working for the university? Specific numbers spent on accessibility and its implementation; any construction, locations, etc.? Will you be providing the monies needed to keep up with software licensing increases or what new software or budgeting being used towards infrastructure -- maintenance, upgrades, etc.? Is there any concern that increases to tuition and fees will result in a net loss of new enrollments, resulting in short-term gains and overall degradation of the university's income and ability to compete in the near future? If those concerns are not present, what information does the board possess to create that certainty?
Mon May 22 16:13:47 PDT 2023		Take it from the Executives. University should be free like any rational country, not a life long debt we may never be able to pay off.
Mon May 22 17:17:59 PDT 2023		I am currently struggling to make tuition payments as is. I do not agree with this approach. The new president is creating ways to fatten his pockets.
Mon May 22 17:54:18 PDT 2023		I am paying my way through college by myself, working a part time job that means I don't have any weekends or free time between work and school and it's already hard enough to pay for tuition as it is. I respectfully dislike this proposal.
Mon May 22 19:19:05 PDT 2023		Do not raise fees.
Tue May 23 05:58:20 PDT 2023		This is needed to help UoM in its operation and the amount is would not seem to impact SP Goal 1: Access.
Tue May 23 07:30:37 PDT 2023		Even though there isn’t as much of an increase speaking from a a low-middle class family, I still feel like what’s the point of doing one. Memphis is already a struggling city as a whole what’s the purpose of adding on more baggage to the ones who just want their education the most, we have people to prove wrong, careers to meet, help us with something!
Tue May 23 07:39:17 PDT 2023		To the Memphis Board of Trustees, I ask, at a time where minimum wage is not increasing with cost of living, how can many college students afford to go back to the University of Memphis if tuition increases? The University of Memphis is relatively affordable among universities in Tennessee, but students such as myself are increasingly taking on debt in order to obtain a bachelor’s degree. As a student, there is no greater support to a student’s future success than financial freedom and equal opportunities to higher education. I humbly urge the University of Memphis Board of Trustees to consider the financial burden this places on students and ask that the Board reject the proposal to increase tuition fees.
Tue May 23 07:41:01 PDT 2023		I go to University of Memphis on the Lambuth campus due to cost, I wholly disagree with this if it will affect the Lambuth campus due to the minimal efforts made to improve our campus. I would discontinue suggesting UofM to new students if prices raise any further.
Tue May 23 10:49:24 PDT 2023		With unemployment at a high, as well as the rising inflation and cost of living, and Tennessee having an incredibly low and unsustainable minimum wage, this proposal is a terrible idea. If you tried even a little bit harder you would be able to find donors to fund whatever “cutting edge research and technology” you have planned to implement. I don’t understand why these pushes are being put onto the shoulders of your students. Isn’t upwards of $4000 every semester enough of a financial burden?
Tue May 23 12:12:29 PDT 2023		As a faculty member, I am glad that tuition increases will come below the rate of inflation. I am glad that the Trustees and the President's Office have managed to keep tuition increases at zero through the pandemic and within a manageable range previously.
Tue May 23 12:23:14 PDT 2023		I support this tuition increase, however the funds that we receive should be used to fund the full 5% faculty salary increase as other institutions across the state are doing in response to the governor's recommendation. Being an R1 institution should allow the faculty to have a salary that is comparable to its peer institution's faculty salaries.
Tue May 23 13:33:04 PDT 2023		FUNDING FOR SALARIES?? Wow.
Tue May 23 14:51:41 PDT 2023		A few extra dollars of increase significantly impacts undergrads, I had to work minimum $9 job and put more than 40 hours just to pay my minimum monthly payment for a year. This will not help out students, increasing the cost instead of making it accessible will exclude some students while trying to achieve an education.
Tue May 23 19:38:21 PDT 2023		As a student who is expected to graduate in the fall of 2023, a tuition increase could really keep students who self-pay from completing their degree. I believe considering how students pay their tuition should be a factor in the increase. Some students rely on different methods to pay tuition. Due to the high debt student loan for individuals the likelihood of students completing higher degrees in college will decrease dramatically. I believe most would consider community college over university.
Wed May 24 10:31:23 PDT 2023		According the the U.S. Department of Education's NCES report for 2023, out of the top 9 public, 4 year degree program universities in TN The University of Memphis has the 2nd largest yearly tuition rate, the highest cost for books and supplies, and the 3rd highest living costs for students. This, in combination with the $6.3 Million funding increase from the state, the majority female demographic of the student population, the average salary of graduates, and the increase in cost of living for TN residents, should be enough to persuade alternate solutions for budget constraints. A tuition increase could negatively impact the enrollment and retention for the institution, and the financial burden this increase, in an already high cost of tuition, will place on the students and families in the current economy should be thoroughly considered. The increasing U of M global enrollement and subsequent decreasing burden on campus resources should also be taken into account.
Wed May 24 12:31:22 PDT 2023		why are you punishing students FrOM tennessee first? maybe increase OUT of state tuition first!
Wed May 24 19:11:51 PDT 2023		i dont have enough to afford this
Thu May 25 08:29:50 PDT 2023		No do not increase
Fri May 26 23:09:58 PDT 2023		I'm not in agreement with the fee increase proposal. We are currently in an un-declared recession and inflation costs are becoming unbearable to many. College is already costly which is why a lot of recent graduates are pursuing other economical (immediate entry in the workforce) options so increasing fees is not the solution.
Sat May 27 16:40:30 PDT 2023		Some help to society you all turned out to be
Tue May 30 07:17:43 PDT 2023		Good morning, first and foremost I am thankful for the years that Memphis kept its tuition more affordable than other comparable institutions. However, this aim to raise the tuition poses an arising issue. Personally for me, it could mean wether I get my glaucoma eyedrops or not. I am a first gen not only here at the college but the USA as well. From an early age when discovered that I had glaucoma, I’ve had to pay out of pocket for numerous months and years to keep my remaining sight, which is only in my left eye. My eye condition has always been a hurdle in my access to education, and with an increased tuition this hurdle will most likely turn into a wall. Also already tapping student loans, I fear for my future. I hope you take my feedback into consideration.
Wed May 31 17:01:12 PDT 2023		As someone who is new to college tuitions and fees, freshman year was a big change and created a big change financially for my family. I believe if there is going to be an increase in tuition and other needs, that more scholarships or funding should be available and easier to attain. I try to keep my GPA around a 3.2-3.7 each year, and I receive 1 or 2 scholarships leaving my balance to be something I can barely afford. As a student who wants and loves to attend the University of Memphis, I hope the tuition does not increase and put an even bigger strain on myself and other families included.