'Absolutely necessary': UOG proposes student fee increases starting next year

University of Guam students and their parents may be shelling out more money by next fall semester. UOG is looking to increase student fees for several student services, the nursing and engineering programs and for dorm residents. While UOG leadership say it’s “absolutely necessary," students are speaking out against the proposal. 

U0G is proposing several student fee increases amid a budget shortfall.   This comes as the governor passed the substitute supplemental budget bill into law in which senators took out a $4 million funding promised to the university. 

As KUAM News reported, dozens of students rallied at the Guam Congress Building airing their frustrations about two weeks ago. 

Earlier this week, the Student Affairs, Scholarship, Alumni Relations & Honorary Degree committee held a public hearing to get input on the fee increases. UOG president Dr. Anita Borja-Enriquez says the fee increases are “absolutely necessary.”

"It is still our commitment to do what we can to try to keep a number of these adjustments at bay, but they are long overdue," said the president. "The facilities and maintenance fee, you’ve heard we’ve got $16 million of deferred and preventative maintenance that we’ve not been able to get to that’s really having an impact on the health and safety of our campus. So a $200 investment per semester, that’s an iced coffee per week, right?"

The student fees support several services on campus, usually costing each student $403 per semester. The proposal includes a new $200 facilities and maintenance fee among other increases, bringing it to a total of $660 - a 63.7% increase. 

Nursing and engineering students are facing an additional $500 fee increase in increments within the next three years.  Dorm residents could also see a $71 increase. 

While Dr. Enriquez says “it won’t break the bank,” it very well could for some, as Student Government Association vice president Keanna Ardiente said, "I’m more concerned about the students who fall in the middle class. They are this close to getting approved for FAFSA or financial aid or Pell Grant. But they also aren’t well off. They have to work two to three jobs just to seek higher education. "

SGA president Nicole Guerrero also voicing her concerns for low-income students trying to pursue a nursing or engineering degree.  "These are critical fields that the university has been particularly proud of, of producing high achieving nurses that have consistently passed their board exams. We’re looking at the same thing for engineering. If we’re looking at increasing fees for that, my fear is that students would not want to pursue higher education at all or at the University of Guam because they are unable to afford it," she said.

One engineering student testifying she estimates the added fees would cost an additional $7,700 per semester for five years, which she says is the average time it takes for engineering and nursing students to get their degree.   

But School of Engineering dean Hiroshan Hettiarachchi calls it an investment, saying, "Look at it as another investment opportunity - even after paying $7,000, we are one of the cheapest engineering degrees in the entire nation." 

In the meantime, the committee is requesting the board to authorize president enriquez to have the final say.