Apparently the tuition surcharge adopted by the Board of Regents last fall caused some confusion when the group continued those rates for next year.

As it turns out, the entire idea of a “surcharge” was a bad idea to begin with. Last fall, the Regents were forced to raise tuition in order to maintain quality programs at the universities. But instead of calling it a tuition increase, which is what it was, some members like student Regent Nick Valadez pushed the idea of a tuition “surcharge” of $125 instead of a tuition increase in that amount.

At the last Regents’ meeting in March, the board extended this year’s tuition rates. That means this fall students will pay the same amount in tuition that they did last fall, despite the “surcharge” name.

According to Regents Chancellor Roderick Groves, some reports have misinterpreted the extension of this year’s tuition rates as a new increase in tuition.

The Regents could have avoided the confusion if they had simply raised tuition last fall like all of the other universities in the state did.

The notion that changing the name to “surcharge” instead of “increase” will mean a reduction at some future point is absurd. If by some miracle the universities receive more funding than they need, the Regents could vote to reduce tuition at any time—but don’t hold your breath waiting for that to happen. Theoretically, the Regents could have chosen to discontinue last year’s surcharge, but that is just as likely as a tuition reduction.

In the future, the Regents should back up the name changes they give to their actions with actions. If the Regents just raise tuition, they should call it just that.