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in fees impact benefits Laurie Fetter has a master’s degree and almost has earned a doctorate. She says she could have earned a larger paycheck, but she wanted her three children to attend TCU. Fetter started working in the Registrar’s Office in June 1998, so she could utilize the university’s tuition remission benefit, which waives tuition and requires payment of the general university fee. “You’re not going to get rich working at TCU, but the combination of the salary and the tuition benefit makes it a very attractive package, especially when you have college-aged kids,” said Fetter, the registrar’s assistant for reporting, FrogNet and Web Support. “The tuition benefits provide an acceptable trade-off for that higher paying job elsewhere.” But for some faculty and staff, a 14.6 percent increase in general university fees for the 2002-03 school year might impact the people currently using the benefit, Staff Assembly Chairman Bob Seal said. Controller Cheryl Wilson said the current university fees are $750 a semester and will increase to $860 a semester for the next school year. She said part-time students currently pay $65 an hour for university fees, but their hourly rate for next year has not been approved. In January, the Board of Trustees approved the increase in general university fees and an 8.7 percent tuition increase for next year. Michael Scott, director of financial aid, said 85 employees, 222 dependents of TCU employees and 26 spouses of TCU employees are currently participating in the benefit this year. But Seal said it is too early to know the exact number of people that will be affected by the increase in university general fees. “It might become a problem in the future, and at that point, the Staff Assembly will take action,” he said. Paula Vasquez, a single mother and housekeeper in Milton Daniel Hall who lives on a minimum wage salary, started her job in April 1998 to help pay for her son to attend TCU. But with the increase in general university fees, Vasquez said she is going to have to reevaluate her situation. “I am very shocked to hear about the fee increase,” Vasquez said. “I can barely pay for what I have to pay now. I love the benefit, but with the increase, finding another job is the only other option I have.” Chancellor Michael Ferrari said the increase in fees is due in part to the additional costs for the operations of the new $30 million University Recreation Center. Ferrari said despite the increase for next year the benefit has been helpful for many TCU faculty and staff. “The tuition rebate benefit is one of the strongest in the country and has enabled hundreds of faculty and staff to have their children receive educations at TCU,” Ferrari said. Carol Campbell, vice chancellor for finance and business, said $1 million of next year’s $213 million budget will help pay for the waived tuition. She said the university general fee increase is due to the increase in the tuition rate and the number of staff making use of the benefit. Scott said there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people utilizing the benefit. In 2001, Scott said 310 people took part in the benefit and 291 people used the benefit in 2000. To qualify for the tuition remission benefit, employees who are part-time students must have their job for at least six months and maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA. Employees seeking the benefit for their children must be employees for a year, and their children must be 24 years old or younger and must be studying for their undergraduate degree. Kelly
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