Regents got a tuition and fees increase under double digits - at 9.9 percent for residents.
"Well, it sucks," said graduate student Maria Chisolm. "That's more money out of my pocket, and we pay enough as it is."
Student Erin Murrah said she is graduating, but the tuition and fees increase concerns her.
"It's going to get worse and worse," she said. "We hear UNM has the lowest tuition, but it won't be for long."
The proposal was about the only thing the regents agreed with UNM administrators about.
The UNM administration brought a budget proposal to the regents with a 9.9 percent tuition and fees increase and a 4 percent compensation increase.
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The proposal would have potentially cut funding for several line items such as $400,000 for health insurance premiums and $200,000 in merit-based aid, among other items administrators cut in order to get tuition lower and compensation higher.
Some of the regents expressed frustration with the members of the administration who prepared the budget, because they had asked them to find other funds in the University's budget to pay for some of the items the administration requested on Monday.
"I feel frustrated," Regent Mel Eaves said. "I thought this was a reasonable request, and the message from the administration is sort of in your face."
Eaves asked for information on extra funds from the University's budget, which the administration said they did not have.
"My instructions yesterday were to find money to fund these items, and you're saying there is none," he said. "I'm giving you a big fat zero for my request."
He added there was no use pursuing the discussion, because there was no additional information.
Regent Doug Brown said he understood the wisdom of not dipping into reserves to fund programs, but if the University isn't using that money, it should.
"I haven't been heard," he said. "I just haven't been heard."
He said the options he kept hearing about concerned a portion of the budget, not the entire budget of the University.
Budget Director Curt Porter, who presented the budget to the board, said Brown had been heard. Porter said he has made two presentations to the board about how to save money, which included cutting funds across the board or initiating a program review across campus, which he said was the most difficult to do.
"It cannot be done overnight," he said. "In the short term, all we can do is cut across the board."
Regents discussed the possibility of having the administration do an internal review of programs and report back to then in the next 30 days, but by the end of the meeting, regents decided to approve the resolution and wait on the discussion for an internal review process.
Porter said all the regents were supposed to do Tuesday was set tuition and compensation.
He said the June meeting is when regents are supposed to set the final budget.
Tuition and fees for fiscal year 2005-2006
Current Tuition Tuition with increase
Undergraduate tuition and fees
resident $3,738.00 $4,108.80 9.9 % increase
non-resident $12,500.40 $13,437.60 7.5% increase
Graduate tuition and fees
resident $4,110.00 $4,516.80 9.9% increase
non-resident $12,850.80 $13,814.40 7.5% increase
Graduate Anderson Schools of
Management
Resident $ 4,110.00 $5,716.80 39.1% increase
Non-resident $ 12,850.80 $15,014.40 16.8% increase
Law School
Resident $7,567.20 $8,816.40 16.5% increase
Non-resident $ 19,900.80 $21,393.60 7.5% increase
Pharmacy doctorate program
Resident $6,290.40 $6,913.20 9.9% increase
Non-resident $19,400.40 $20,856.00 7.5% increase
School of Medicine
Resident $11,975.00 $12,933.00 8% increase
Non-resident $34,326.00 $37,072.00 8% increase
