SC college and university tuition rates on the rise

Tuition at South Carolina State University will jump 8.4 percent next year, and increases from other state colleges and universities are starting to trickle in.

Despite learning Thursday that the state Supreme Court said Gov. Mark Sanford must accept $700 million in federal stimulus money, which will be distributed mostly to public schools and higher education institutions over the next two years, college and university leaders say tuition will likely increase next year.

Stimulus money isn't enough to compensate for recent state cuts to higher education they said. And, the schools can't count on stimulus money to cover long-term, recurring expenses, such as staff salaries, because they will receive it only for two years.

"This has been an extremely tough financial year, " S.C. State president George Cooper said Thursday. The university had to increase tuition to ensure its continued success, he said. The school also announced increased fees for campus housing, which will now range from $2,500 to $3,000 per semester, and a 3.5 percent increase in the student meal plan.

The College of Charleston, The Citadel and the University of South Carolina will announce tuition rates for the 2009-10 school year next week. Clemson University officials said a date hasn't yet been set for the Board of Trustees to discuss tuition, but one will be set soon.

Officials at Trident Technical College said Friday that tuition will jump 3.6 percent next year. And tuition increases at the Medical University of South Carolina will range from 7 to 17 percent, depending on the college in which a student is enrolled.

Read more in tomorrow's editions of The Post and Courier.