By Stephanie H. Olsen

Fifty tan metal chairs lined the Sunburst Lounge in anticipation of President Kermit Hall, the keynote speaker for the public forum about Utah's Second-Tier tuition increase, on Friday -- and the chairs were about the only ones to show up.

Despite an ad posted in Friday's issue of the Statesman, few students showed up to voice their opinion or ask questions about next year's tuition increase.

Vice President for Student Services Juan N. Fronco hoped that the students would take the public forum as a symbol that "their voices are being heard. They are the ones paying for their education and they do have a some say in where that money goes."

According to Hall, the tuition increase of 4 percent for enrolled undergraduate students is the last of a 15 percent increase agreed upon three years ago, by himself and student government.

"I take pride some pride with USU keeping its word, and we have kept our word," said Hall.

Hall continued by listing how the money has been spent for the past two years.

"We have hired 100 faculty members. They have helped to add classes for our 'bottleneck' subjects. We have hired more academic advisers and counselors. And money has gone to help build the library," he said,.

Next year's money will be spent as follows:

Libraries- $1 million
Student Initiatives - $200,000
Compensation/Fuel & Energy - $600,000

Ron Godfrey, of the USU business and finance department, feels that the small increase is apart of a greater good.

"We have received all we are going to from legislation," he said. "There is a need for shared resources in the university. Students who want a good education are willing to pay for it."

Godfrey's claims were echoed by graduate student, Stephanie Kukic, who said, "We get such a good deal on tutuion here at USU. Many students don't realize that. We need to show our support to the university and to President Hall."

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