ASU to Impose Extra Fees and Close Campus Amid State Budget Crisis

TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State University (ASU) has announced the implementation of a tuition surcharge for on-campus students due to a significant budget shortfall. The university cites a loss of $24 million in state funding as the primary cause of this adjustment.

Starting in the spring of 2025, full-time students at ASU will face an additional fee of approximately $350. This decision comes amidst broader financial constraints affecting Arizona’s public universities, which each experienced a 3.45% budget cut in the current fiscal year.

Students reacted to the news with mixed emotions. Junior Yelitca Curiel expressed concerns about the growing financial burden, saying, “Parking, books, and all of that… $350 on top of everything else is pretty expensive.” Senior Aditya Anand echoed this sentiment, stating, “I’m not too happy about the increase in our tuition.”

In addition to the surcharge, ASU anticipates serving 800 fewer students through the Arizona Teachers Academy, a program designed to encourage aspiring educators in the state. Moreover, the ASU Lake Havasu Center is set to close, affecting approximately 2,600 students enrolled in the Arizona Promise Scholarship Program.

ASU President Michael M. Crow addressed the funding issue, lamenting the ongoing lack of state investment in higher education. “These necessary actions reflect the continuing lack of public investment from state government for higher education in Arizona,” Crow stated. “ASU simply cannot be asked to fund the expansion of higher education across the state without state investment as a part of the financial structure to do so.”

According to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, state appropriations for higher education in Arizona saw a decrease of about 2.8% between fiscal years 2023 and 2024. This trend raises concerns about the broader implications for students and educational institutions across the state.