FGCU faces a unique situation. Students may not incur a tuition hike, said the new student body president. The state has proposed $300 million to be restored in the University’s recurring budget. Pending approval, an additional $118 million will be dispersed among all 13 of Florida’s state universities.

Last year, FGCU suffered a drop in government funding, which caused the University to have to make a very difficult decision: Does it take the hit in order to save the students’ money, which would result in professor layoffs and larger class sizes? Or does it increase the tuition cost by 12 percent in order to maintain a standard of education?

Gov. Rick Scott was unhappy with the lack of funding in last year’s state budget for Florida schools. He warned the Board of Governors at its meeting that the 71 percent rise in tuition in only four years was putting graduates in a state of “unprecedented debt.” In years past, Scott advocated for funding higher education.

Although tuition increases are supposed to be a last resort, FGCU has repeatedly incorporated them. On every occasion, students had already left for the summer. This left them without a voice in the battle.

Peter Cuderman, the previous student body president, broke the 6-6 tied vote for tuition hikes at last year’s Board of Trustees meeting. He voted in support of a tuition increase, which is unusual for a student representative. The outcome was a 12% increase instead of the originally proposed 15%.

“Last year there was really no choice but for a tuition increase due to that fact that we need to maintain the high quality of education,” Cuderman said. “There are years when budget cuts occur across the state and it [becomes] necessary.”

Juan Cubillo, FGCU’s new student body president, is already preparing to support his fellow classmates in the 2013-14 University budget.

“It’s my job to look in the budget and see how we can eliminate unnecessary expenses and just be smarter,” Cubillo said. “I want students to know that just like what I said in the debate a couple of months ago, I don’t want to see tuition increases. Nobody does. I’m a student as well and I don’t want to pay more money.”

Cubillo is already planning trips to Tallahassee. He invites students to join to make their voices heard. Cuderman started this practice. He organized Rally to Tally, an event that focused on getting more government funding to restore the library hours. Cubillo played an active role in this event. He said representing the University in numbers imperative.

“That has to happen,” says Cubillo. “I believe that if we go as a group to the state representatives then we will make a difference, so we cannot stop that even if we get the funding that we need this year, that doesn’t mean we should be happy.”

FGCU faces a unique situation. Students may not incur a tuition hike, said the new student body president. The state has proposed $300 million to be restored in the University’s recurring budget. Pending approval, an additional $118 million will be dispersed among all 13 of Florida’s state universities.

Last year, FGCU suffered a drop in government funding, which caused the University to have to make a very difficult decision: Does it take the hit in order to save the students’ money, which would result in professor layoffs and larger class sizes? Or does it increase the tuition cost by 12 percent in order to maintain a standard of education?

Gov. Rick Scott was unhappy with the lack of funding in last year’s state budget for Florida schools. He warned the Board of Governors at its meeting that the 71 percent rise in tuition in only four years was putting graduates in a state of “unprecedented debt.” In years past, Scott advocated for funding higher education.

Although tuition increases are supposed to be a last resort, FGCU has repeatedly incorporated them. On every occasion, students had already left for the summer. This left them without a voice in the battle.

Peter Cuderman, the previous student body president, broke the 6-6 tied vote for tuition hikes at last year’s Board of Trustees meeting. He voted in support of a tuition increase, which is unusual for a student representative. The outcome was a 12% increase instead of the originally proposed 15%.

“Last year there was really no choice but for a tuition increase due to that fact that we need to maintain the high quality of education,” Cuderman said. “There are years when budget cuts occur across the state and it [becomes] necessary.”

Juan Cubillo, FGCU’s new student body president, is already preparing to support his fellow classmates in the 2013-14 University budget.

“It’s my job to look in the budget and see how we can eliminate unnecessary expenses and just be smarter,” Cubillo said. “I want students to know that just like what I said in the debate a couple of months ago, I don’t want to see tuition increases. Nobody does. I’m a student as well and I don’t want to pay more money.”

Cubillo is already planning trips to Tallahassee. He invites students to join to make their voices heard. Cuderman started this practice. He organized Rally to Tally, an event that focused on getting more government funding to restore the library hours. Cubillo played an active role in this event. He said representing the University in numbers imperative.

“That has to happen,” says Cubillo. “I believe that if we go as a group to the state representatives then we will make a difference, so we cannot stop that even if we get the funding that we need this year, that doesn’t mean we should be happy.”

Students can remain informed about tuition hikes this summer by contacting Cubillo through his email and Facebook page.

Students can remain informed about tuition hikes this summer by contacting Cubillo through his email and Facebook page.