Although the possiblity of a tuition increase affects all students, minority students might find the problem more taxing than most.

Jorge Fonseca, president of the Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS) said “any increase (in tuition) affects anyone,” but Hispanics’ income is much lower than the average student’s and an increase in tuition might call for more and bigger bank loan applications by Hispanic students.

“A lot of Hispanics leave school because of the money situation,” he said. Although many Hispanic students apply for financial aid, some do not receive aid, Fonseca said.

Over the past two years, tuition has increased about $250, from about $1950 in 1988 to about $2200 in 1989. But financial aid plans such as the Pell Grant and the Monetary Award Program (MAP) have lost their past purchasing power.

The Pell Grant now covers only about 66 percent of tuition and fee costs, whereas 10 years ago, it covered tuition and fees completely, an April 2 report from the Illinois Student Association stated.

The report also stated the MAP award lost 31 percent of its purchasing power during the 1980-1989 period, but tuition and fees increased twice as much during that same period.

Most Hispanic families are large and higher tuition means less money for Hispanic students, Fonseca said. He added many Hispanic parents are unable to financially support their college students because “they don’t really know how to handle (the tuition increases).”

Nick Noe, director of the Office of Institional Research, said there are currently 579 Hispanic students at NIU, 513 of whom are undergraduates, 58 are graduate students and eight are law students.

Noe said there are 1,139 black undergraduate students on campus, 96 black graduate students and seven black law students, as well as 743 Asian undergraduates, 56 Asian graduate students and three Asian law students at NIU.

A tuition increase would be an “additional hardship” for black students because “most don’t have the resources” for college tuition, said Admasu Zike, director of the Center for Black Studies.

Zike said some black students might have to work extra jobs to make ends meet if financial aid cannot make up for the tuition increase.

However, he said NIU is still a bargain compared to some other schools.

But Chris O’Banner, Black Student Union prime minister, said “an added $250 would be a strain. If you’re getting the same education for more money what is the point of a tuition increase?”

O’Banner said some black students might not return to NIU if there is a tuition increase, but they will continue their education somewhere else.