Wednesday, March 8, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
10.6 percent tuition hike
for U of O approved
EUGENE (AP) —
University of Oregon trust-
ees have approved tuition
increases for the upcoming
school year of 10.6 percent for
in-state students and 3 percent
for out-of-state students.
T h e R e g i s t e r - G u a rd
reported that Thursday’s 11-1
decision by the trustees means
that the cost of attendance
for the 2017-18 school year
including fees will be $11,931
for residents and $34,611 for
nonresidents.
Jamie Moffitt, the univer-
sity’s chief financial officer,
said the tuition increase is
necessary because the state
Legislature did not increase
funding for schools next year
even though next year’s costs
are increasing by $25 million.
About 40 students attended
the meeting, urging trustees
not to approve the increase.
Freshman Maria Slade said
the increase will be a huge
burden for her parents and
that her father had told her he
would have to work until he
reaches age 70 for her to stay
at the school.
“I hated that. I’m unwill-
ing to watch my parents make
more sacrifices to keep me in
a school that, as is apparent
with this proposed increase,
doesn’t seem to care whether
I stay or go,” Slade said.
Board member Peter
Bragdon said lobbying is
needed with state lawmak-
ers to ensure better univer-
sity funding and avoid future
tuition increases.
Higher education lead-
ers have asked the Oregon
Legislature for an additional
$100 million over the $667
million that Gov. Kate Brown
has proposed for public uni-
versities in her budget.
The state faces a $1.6 bil-
lion shortfall driven by ris-
ing costs in the state’s Public
Employees Retirement
System (PERS) and Medicaid,
as well as unfunded directives
passed by voters in November.
About $7 million of the
cost increase is required by
the PERS’s demands. Moffitt
said that required PERS pay-
ment will increase by a simi-
lar figure every two years for
the next three or four budget
cycles.
The Legislature has long
been looking for a solution to
curb rapidly rising costs asso-
ciated with PERS.
11
The herd is a-comin’ through...
PHOTO BY DICK QUINN
Dick Quinn counted 176 elk in a herd that migrated across his property near Sisters late last month.
Chorale to begin spring rehearsals
The High Desert Chorale
will begin spring prac-
tice on March 20 at The
Episcopal Church of the
Transfiguration, located at
68825 Brooks Camp Rd.
Rehearsals will be held
from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on
Mondays until the spring
concert, which is scheduled
for May.
Church doors open at
6:10 p.m. for singers to get
to know each other; then, at
6:30 p.m. they get to sing-
ing! Members are asked to
bring a plain black three-
ring binder, a pencil, and
water.
New singers are wel-
come. You don’t have to be
a professional or soloist;
this is a community choir,
where everyone is welcome
to sing. For a sneak peak at
the music, visit the chorale
website at: http://sistershigh
desertchorale.com.
GRAPHIC PROVIDED