CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - ā A section of Governor Henry McMasterās 2019-2020 proposed Executive Budget attempts to put a stop to the rising cost of tuition for higher education in South Carolina.
McMaster announced his proposed budget on Monday, which includes an appropriation of $36 million in recurring funds for colleges and universities.
āI think thatās great,ā College of Charleston Sophomore Bailey Gibson said. āI think thatās great to freeze tuition and not have kids pay more because a lot of kids canāt even afford it now.ā
The proposal would increase funding for higher education institutions by six percent if the school does not increase in-state tuition and fees for the next academic year.
āThis executive budget takes the first step toward reining in these rising costs by proposing a freeze on tuition and fees for in-state students at our stateās technical schools, colleges and universities for the 2019-2020 academic year,ā McMaster said in a cover letter included with his proposed budget.
South Carolina has seen significant increases in tuition in recent years.
āRising tuition rates is a concern for students and a concern for me just because I donāt want to have to worry about how Iām going to pay for more after Iāve already struggled to pay for what I have to pay for,ā College of Charleston Freshman Anaya Waugh said.
The College of Charleston, for example, has increased tuition by nearly 43 percent since the 2008-2009 academic year, according to data from the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education.
āIām kind of worried if it keeps going up, then I donāt know if Iāll be able to pay for it or not because itās been a struggle already with the few scholarships I have,ā College of Charleston Freshman Brad Kempson said.
During that same 10-year period, The Citadel has increased tuition costs by almost 50 percent, while the University of South Carolina has increased tuition by about 39 percent.
According to a spokesperson from the governorās office, the tuition freeze would only apply to academic fees, meaning it would not include other costs like housing or food.
But most students at the College of Charleston said the proposal for a tuition freeze would help them immensely.
āHaving that reassurance that your tuition cost isnāt going to go up and you donāt have to worry about paying more would be beneficial for students and it will give them a sense of security,ā Waugh said.
Neither the College of Charleston nor The Citadel have a comment on the proposed tuition freeze program at this time.
McMasterās budget proposal is the first step in a long process to finalize the state budget. Next, Ways and Means subcommittees will begin formal deliberations.
The budget deadline is July 1.
You can view the governorās complete Executive Budget here.
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