Tuition increase battle likely

• By WILL SENTELL
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: May 9, 2008 - Page: 5A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Bills that would increase tuition at the LSU and Southern University law schools breezed through a House committee Thursday, but both are expected to trigger controversy later.

The increase that would apply to students at the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center is House Bill 1145 by Rep. Franklin Foil, R-Baton Rouge.

The boost for students at the Southern University Law Center is House Bill 1314 by Rep. Michael Jackson, D-Baton Rouge.

Both won easy approval in the House Education Committee and next face action in the full House.

Both also require two-thirds approval in the House and Senate to take effect.

“It will be a war out there,” predicted Rep. Hollis Downs, R-Ruston, a member of the committee in discussing the LSU plan, which he backs.

The LSU proposal would increase tuition by $1,000 each of the next three years for state residents and $2,000 for each of the next three years for out-of-state students. The in-state LSU law tuition would rise from $10,722 now to $13,722 by the fall of 2010. The out of state tuition would jump from $19,818 now to $25,818 in 2010.

The boost would take effect this fall. But new students who pay for the first part of the increase would not have to pay for subsequent parts of the phase-in. Those coming to LSU during the second year of the increase would not have to pay the final year of the phase-in.

Backers of the LSU proposal said tuition is now below many of the school’s peers and will remain a good value even if the higher charges win approval.

LSU Law Center Chancellor Jack Weiss has cited peer, in-state tuition levels, such as $11,190 at the University of Alabama, $13,204 at the University of Kentucky and $20,632 at the University of Texas.

The new money will allow LSU to offer scholarships to top-flight students and help lure outstanding faculty members to the school, Weiss said.

Downs said the issue is sure to trigger controversy on the House floor because some members oppose financial increases of any kind.

The tuition increase at Southern would be $500 for each of the next three years for both state and out of state residents.