Another year, another jump in tuition. It's getting to be as regular as the changing seasons.
This year, in-state tuition for N.C. Central University students increased by 5.2 percent, on top of 1.2 percent and 2.8 percent increases the previous two years.
Currently a full time in-state NCCU student pays just under $8,000 per semester.
This includes $1,476 in tuition, $1,369 in fees, $3,609 for housing, and $1,477 for a Plan A meal plan.
If you're out-of-state, tuition climbs to $6,726, bringing the total semester cost to $13,217, including fees, housing and meals.
The tuition hikes are a response to the statewide budget cuts in university funding. In all, more than $414 million has been cut from the UNC system this school year, resulting in more than 3,000 layoffs.
These budget cuts have forced Chancellor Nelms to direct top administrators to cut $2 million in operations and academic programming.
Some students say they are starting to see sticker shock, especially given the prospects of finding work in today's job market.
"The jobs that some students get after college won't even be able to compensate what they were loaned in college, so now we have rising tuition and a lot of debt," said Hyleemah Caesar, nursing sophomore.
"It's unnecessary," said graphic design junior William Buie. "We're already trying to make ends meet as it is."
After seeking input from all UNC system chancellors and a committee of representatives appointed by each chancellor, tuition increases were recommended by then-UNC President Erskine Bowles for consideration by the UNC Board of Governors. The final recommendation allowed for a maximum 6.5 percent tuition increase.
But things could be much worse. University of Iowa freshman nursing students recently witnessed a 40 percent tuition spike, and engineering students at that university witnessed a 20 percent increase.
According to the U.S. Dept. of Education, the current average for in-state tuition, room and board and fees at public universities nationwide is $15,000, nearly double what an NCCU student pays.
The current average for tuition, room and board, and fees at private universities nationwide is $33,000.
Rising tuition is a global phenomenon. In London in 2010, 52,000 students rioted in protest of proposed increases that would triple their tuition. The tuition is scheduled to jump by $14,000 in 2012.
Conservatives in the British Parliament proposed the tuition hikes as part of larger austerity measures that would cut $130 billion out of government expenditures by 2015.
"It's inspiring to see young people so passionate about their education and willing to fight for it," said Jimmy Florestal, business administration junior. "Maybe one day we can come together and do something epic like that."
But some at NCCU see the need to invest in the University.
"Physically I see a lot of changes — with the new dorm and the nursing building," said history graduate student Rashad Thomas. "As far as I'm concerned it's been for a good cause."
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