Students at the University of Guam on Friday voiced their opposition to a proposed 30% tuition hike.

The students spoke during a public hearing held at the university’s School of Business and Public Administration building at the Mangilao campus.

Three 10% tuition hikes are planned: one each in spring and fall of 2020, and one in the spring of 2021.

Nolan Flores, a sophomore and merit scholar at UOG, said he feared the effects of the proposed increase.

“While I do understand the need to grow our university, a 30% tuition increase is a drastic measure that would have incredibly harmful short-term and long-term effects on the very things that make UOG a great and natural choice for me and so many others,” Flores said. “The rise in tuition will cause many students to simply stop attending UOG.”

‘Put the brakes on my education’

One of the students who foresees a possible interruption in higher education if tuition increases is Teresa Mafnas, an undergrad student enrolled as a Guam resident. She told The Guam Daily Post that the increase would be a struggle for her.

“I feel like it would make such a big difference to students that can’t afford to pay for the tuition,” she said.

Mafnas said many students might have to work more or might not be able to afford to finish school.

“It could possibly put the brakes on my education,” she said.

Keith Taliugyan, UOG nonresident grad student from Yap said the increase could be especially hard on those coming from the Federated States of Micronesia to study at UOG because they do not receive federal student aid and depend largely on state scholarships.

“I think this is going to make a huge impact on the students from the FSM,” Taliugyan said, “To be honest, I think there are a lot of students that are coming from the FSM that are going to oppose this. They think it is, kind of, too much for us.”

Students paying for others’ failings

Declining appropriations from the government of Guam and challenges in obtaining the full sum of the appropriations were cited by the university as reasons for the proposed tuition increases.

Prairie Garrido, a political science and public administration major, testified that she was one of “the lucky ones” because she will graduate next semester, so the proposed increase will not affect her as much as her peers.

“It is unfair to reach into the pockets of students to solve a problem that we had no part in creating,” Garrido said.

According to Jackie Hanson, communications specialist at UOG, 47 nonresident undergrad students and 3,168 resident undergrad students are enrolled at the university. Hanson said, of the 348 students enrolled in graduate programs, seven are enrolled as nonresidents.