UCF Students Speak Out About Tuition Hikes

Knightnews.com went around campus to interview students on what they thought about the newly passed tuition hikes.

The hikes, which will raise tuition by $19.24 per credit hour will be effective immediately in the Fall 2012 semester. After several failed votes and compromises, the hike finally passed at the full 15 percent. UCF Student Government President Cortez Whatley voted in favor of the full tuition hike when it was presented both times, voted in favor of the 12 percent compromise(which did not pass), and voted against the lowest compromise offered at 9 percent.

In his speech Whatley claimed taking a position like this was one of the hardest decisions he’d have to make. He validated his position by saying he doesn’t want to see the institutions fail and that institutions cannot operate on a shoestring budget.

However, this past February, Florida Senate President-designate Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, specifically stated that the University cuts would not allow for programs to be cut, but simply asked to draw money out of the university reserves. He went on to say it is money that belongs to the public and there would be absolutely no requirement in this budget for cuts for any operating cuts.

The 2012-2013 UCF workplan showed that tuition is set to double by the 2015-2016 school year from what it was in 2009-2010. If passed this would cost students almost 9,000 dollars a year in tuition and total fees.

Check out the video below to see the uncut, raw video of Senator Evelyn Lynn at the same conference as Gaetz grilling SGA leaders about who they are really representing.