ASU Faces Budget Cuts, Impacts Students
The Arizona State University (ASU) based in Tempe announced on Monday that it will be implementing an “extra tuition surcharge” for all campus students due to recent budget cuts.
In a statement, the Tempe-based university revealed that a loss of $24 million in state funding has forced them to add a surcharge of around $350 for full-time students in the spring of 2025.
12News spoke with several students from ASU’s Tempe and Downtown Phoenix campuses.
While some students were not concerned because they said their parents pay their tuition, others expressed worry over the additional $350 on top of their existing expenses.
“The parking, books, and everything, I feel like $350 on top of all that is quite pricey,” stated Yelitca Curiel, a third-year student.
“I’m not very happy about the increase in our tuition,” added Aditya Anand, a senior at ASU.
The funding loss will also result in about 800 fewer students being served by the Arizona Teachers Academy, a program aimed at encouraging students to become teachers in the Grand Canyon State.
The ASU Center in Lake Havasu will close due to the funding changes, and approximately 2,600 students could be affected by a cut in funding for the Arizona Promise Scholarship Program, the university said.
“These necessary actions reflect the ongoing lack of public investment by the state government into higher education in Arizona,” mentioned ASU President Michael M. Crow in a statement. “ASU cannot be asked to fund the expansion of higher education statewide without state investment as part of the financial structure to do so.”
Each of Arizona’s three public universities faced a 3.45% budget cut after state lawmakers and the governor approved a budget earlier this year, according to the University of Arizona.
State appropriations for higher education in Arizona decreased by approximately 2.8% between fiscal years 2023 and 2024, as noted by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.
Follow us on our Facebook page for more updates, and don’t forget to check out our 12News en Español YouTube channel.
Download the 12 News KPNX app to receive notifications in Spanish for iPhone here and Android here.
