This issue affects all students across UT Austin. Tuition has been increased for certain departments without emailing students, and there is a general rise in tuition across UT that should be frozen given COVID 19, the economic crisis, and the lower quality education/experience we are receiving. Please sign and share this petition.

There is around a 12% increase in tuition for engineering and business students and around a 7% increase in tuition for Natural Sciences students for in-state students. On average, out-of-state tuition increased by over $1,400.

UT Austin notified students about a 2.6% tuition increase that was approved by the Board of Regents, and this makes sense because of the inflation rate. We agree that this information was transmitted over email with lots of time and transparency. However, over email, there was no transparent mention to almost 20,000 UT students that their tuition was increasing more than 2.6%. This is unethical when compared to previous UT decisions.

Additionally, this 2.6% was approved for a different set of conditions. Major crashes in the market, historically high unemployment rates, and current COVID 19 environment are already stressors for most adults. Pile this on top of shortened/cancelled internships, rising student-loan debt, and uncertain housing for most students. Certain students have issues feeding/supporting themselves and their families. UT Austin has a responsibility to look out for its students, and there are other ways to match profitability than increasing tuition. To do so otherwise would go against UT's principles. Cutting costs elsewhere like

• IM sports/Gym amenities
• school visits
• maintaining buildings

is more viable of an option as these amenities will be used less. Additionally, increasing prices for existing services or introducing new fees for discretionary items would allow students to have more financial freedoms and a more resilient future.

Sign this petition to support either

1. Stopping a tuition increase altogether, or if that does not work
2. Capping the tuition increase at 2.6% and no more which was what the Board of Regents actually approved

Please share this petition if you can, and be part of a movement that you can look back on in future years with pride. Let's make UT a strong option for current students as well as future classes.

Sincerely,

Students for a financially responsible UT.

(Any inquiries on statistics can be sent to oishiksaha@utexas.edu)