by JEFF KOEHLER
News Reporter

The Appalachian State University Tuition Committee voted Friday to recommend a 5.2 percent increase in all student tuition for the 2009-10 school year. 

The increases will result in an estimated additional $123 in tuition for undergraduate residents, $576 for undergraduate non-residents and $137 and $652 for graduate residents and non-residents respectively.

Philip P. Schneider, Student Government Association treasurer, said the increases would result in an estimated $2.36 million in revenue for the university to be allocated in a variety of ways.

Thirty-five percent of the funds will go to student financial aid.

Esther Manogin, director of Student Financial Aid, said the department required the 35 percent increase in funding to better assist students.

“We’ve been at the minimum almost every year, and more and more students are having trouble paying their bill,” she said. “With tuition and fees going up this year, that will be even more of a challenge for families.”

Fifteen percent of the funding will fund multiple new staff positions as well as to bring the library to 24-hour operation during the weekdays.

The motion passed 5-4 after debate over the necessity of the expansion of hours.

William D. Windley, senior finance and banking major, said the expansion of hours was important to students due to its inclusion in SGA campaign platforms.

“For the past five years that the student body president[s] have been elected, that has been part of their platforms,” Windley said.

“There’s something to be said, if it’s something that’s been on the platform for five different administrations.”

Dino DiBernardi, associate vice chancellor for Student Development, said the inclusion of the expanded library hours during student government campaigns was not enough to justify the project.

“I’m having a hard time on the necessity issue with this, in not knowing what our usage is till 2 a.m.,” he said. “A year from now, I could feel entirely different even if the economic situation is the same. You might be able to show me that there is definitely that need and interest.”

An amendment was made to the 24-hour library funding, requiring the program be re-evaluated after the first year to examine usage.

The positions created under the 15 percent increase will include a university scholarship coordinator, a transfer student coordinator, an off-campus coordinator for the Reich College of Education, a coordinator for International Business degrees and an academic coach.

Thirty percent of the funds from the increase will support faculty equity pay and graduate student assistance support comprises the final 20 percent of the funding.

The 5.2 percent increase in all student tuition will be combined with the $405 increase in student fees.

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