Proposed tuition hike irks some UM students

A proposed increase in tuition and fees of an average 8.7 percent for the seven University of Maine System campuses left some students at the University of Maine outraged Wednesday, and others simply not surprised.

“I’m not very happy about it,” said 21-year-old Thomas Barrows, a junior anthropology and film major from Bangor, as he stood outside the Memorial Union waiting for the bus. “I already have way too many loans, and I’ll probably have to take out more.”

Westley Tucker, 19, of Portland, a freshman business major, echoed those sentiments.

“I have a lot of loans,” he said. “I’ll end up having to take another one, and I’m already cutting it close with 10 grand. It’s preposterous. What do they need more money for?”

Christopher Whitcomb, 24, originally from Searsport, doesn’t see the logic in the proposed tuition hike. He works in the Oakes Room Cafe on campus and doesn’t have a lot of extra money.

“They worry about retaining students, but then they’re going to jack tuition?” said the junior sociology major. “I don’t get that.”

Jennifer Willette, of Waterville, a 22-year-old senior women’s studies major, thinks it’s unfair to students who are already in their third or fourth year.

“I feel like if you’re a new student you should have to pay,” said Willette. “But if you’ve been here for four years and you suddenly have to pay way more than when you started, I don’t think that’s fair.”

Christine Mosley, 21, of Hampden, a junior journalism and advertising major, reacted with a shrug of her shoulders as she sat studying in Fogler Library.

“I have a lot of loans, but there’s not much I can do about it if it increases,” she said. “I’ll just have to pay it.”