From 2009 to 2013 university revenue from tuition and fees increased 30.2 percent, according to the 2014 UA In Review report. Raising tuition rates on UA students is a futile attempt to cope with lower levels of State funding, and will not fix the problem of unsustainable university budgets. The Board of Regents should be focused on crafting sustainable budgets by cutting useless programs and curtailing wasteful spending, while ending salary raises for high level administrators and executives.

Total student loan debt in America is over $1.2 trillion. There are now over 40 million Americans with student loan debt, up from 29 million in 2008. The Federal Reserve recently reported that nearly 19 percent of student loan borrowers owe more than $50,000. Likewise, roughly 50 percent of federal student loan borrowers fail to repay their loans. 

In times like these the UA Board of Regents should be implementing proactive measures that enable UA students to complete their educational pursuits without having to assume loads of debt. If passed, this proposal will continue the Board of Regents five-year tuition-raising streak and place all UA students at a serious disadvantage for future success.

Signing this petition will tell the Board of Regents that you are against raising tuition rates for six straight years. Your signature will tell the Board of Regents that you want a prosperous future for UA students. College students know all about living within their means. Let's force the Board of Regents to do the same by signing this petition.