The University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved a tuition increase Tuesday for each of the system s 35 institutions to sustain academic programming and offset declining state budget allocations. At North Georgia, tuition will increase by $361 per semester to $2,298, effective fall 2010, placing the university s tuition at the same level as other state institutions with specialized missions.
In January, in anticipation of further state budget cuts, North Georgia requested that the Board of Regents consider a tuition increase to sustain the university's "unique" mission and educational experience. Several other regional universities in the state Georgia College & State University, the University of West Georgia, and Kennesaw State University have used similar tuition differentials for years to sustain their programs.
"We are encouraged by and appreciative of the Board of Regents for recognizing North Georgia's unique mission related to leadership, internationalization, and military education, said Dr. David Potter, president. "We are also among the system leaders in terms of student performance, SAT scores, retention and graduation rates. While we are proud of our academic strength, appropriate funding is essential to our continued success."
Earlier this year, Kiplinger Personal Finance magazine named North Georgia as one of the nation s 100 best values in public colleges and universities, a ranking based on academic excellence and affordability at more than 500 public colleges and universities. Only four Georgia schools were on the list, and North Georgia, ranked at #78, was the only school within its sector on the list. The other schools on the list were The University of Georgia at #6, Georgia Tech at #15, and Georgia Southern University at #90.
Dr. David Potter
http://accesswdun.com/article/2010/5/220812