By MEGAN SMITH

Staff Writer

Tuition will raise another 3 percent this summer as the next part in a series of three yearly 3- percent increases. This means tuition will increase $32 each quarter for full-time students.

Tech President Dr. Dan Reneau said, “I would prefer it come from the state instead of an increase in tuition, but there are a lot of reasons why we have to have more money.”

Reneau said to continue the quality of education, the raise is simply necessary.

“The state has, not at this time, put in our budget the increase cost in insurance, civil service and those types of services,” Reneau said. “And they have added 3 million more in mandated costs.

“It’s a small price to pay if we can maintain the service and increase the quality of your education,” Reneau said. “[We] try to do everything we can to help, but an increase in enrollment requires an increased level of support.”

Jerry Drewett, vice president for administrative services, said three years ago the state recognized something was needed for Louisiana’s higher education systems.

“Universities were not keeping pace with the funds needed to provide quality education,” Drewett said. “[The Louisiana State] Legislature approved a policy that said universities could raise their tuition 3 percent for three years.”

Drewett said this was because the state understood its duty to provide a quality education, and the increase is small compared to others.

“Our tuition increase is considerably lower than the national average of tuition increases in other southern schools,” Drewett said.

Jennifer Porter, president of the Student Government Association and a senior marketing major, said she was surprised that of all 50 states, only two have to ask the legislature to raise tuition, and Louisiana is one of them.

For those worried about the effect of the tuition increase on financial aid, Roger Vick, director of the division of student financial aid, said it will not change much.

Vick said, “As far as [the increase] having any major effect on financial aid, we are going to be able to give out about all we’ve been able to give out before.”