College Students Face Highers Costs In Fall - Casey Ferrand, KTBS

While Louisiana colleges are tackling millions in budget cuts, their students are bracing to fork over more money for tuition. Students at a number of state colleges and universities will see a 10 percent increase in tuition this fall. The Louisiana Grad Act legislation gives colleges the freedom to raise tuition up to 10 percent a year until they reach average costs of peer universities. The universities in turn will have to meet certain performance measures such as increased graduation rates to qualify. "When you have a budget crisis like this, it's the students that suffer because in affect it asks the students to pay for this budget deficit," said Vincent Marsala, LSU-Shreveport Chancellor.