The UM System Board of Curators voted Monday to increase in-state tuition by 3 percent and out-of-state tuition by 7.5 percent for undergraduates. The increase came from Gov. Jay Nixon’s State of the State speech when he also announced the new budget included cuts to higher education funding.

“I think it’s really obnoxious,” sophomore Katie Kaczmarcyzk said. “It causes so many more problems for the students. It’s going to widen the achievement gap, and college is already so expensive as it is. There are so many people I know with outstanding debt from loans already, and we’re only sophomores. I’m totally against it.”

Freshman Claire Prather also said she is against the increase in tuition.

“It’s really frustrating as a freshman,” Prather said. “I know that money is tight, and the officials or whoever is in charge may not think that 3 percent is a big deal, but I’m just a freshman, and if it’s 3 percent this year and maybe 5 percent next, that’s still an 8 percent tuition increase in two years. My family and I are struggling enough as it is, it’s so hard to get any money from the government or anywhere to help you out with paying for school now, especially because more and more people are needing as much help as they can get.”

MU still must deal with a $47.1 million budget gap, according to a UM System Board of Curators news release.

Junior Kaylie Bauer is surprised by the difference between resident and non-resident dues.

“I’m personally from in-state, and I feel really lucky to have that in my favor,” Bauer said. “The difference that my friends from either Texas or Chicago or wherever pay and what I pay is ridiculous. If my family is really working to put me through school, I can’t imagine what theirs are doing when we live by the same means.”

Kaczmarczyk said she thinks the government should supply more aid for college students.

“There’s such an emphasis on higher education, I feel like more help is more than just a necessity,” Kaczmarcyzk said. “These days, getting a Bachelor’s is basically the same as getting a high school diploma used to be in the job market. It’s so frustrating. Students need help, plain and simple, and raising the tuition isn’t doing that, it’s hindering us.”