s n
'MMmMMl on the economy
magazine of the daily nebraskan
friday, September 26, 1980
University costs Mow
general rise in prices
By Kathy-Stokebrand
The college years are the first time
many people realize how inflated prices
can strain their checking accounts. Budget
ing suddenly becomes a real concern for
many students.
Here is a look at some of the specific
costs most students must cope with.
Tuition. Yes, college is expensive enter
tainment, folks. For the 1980-81 academic
year, Nebraska residents are paying $26.50
per credit hour. That is $2.50 more per
credit hour than a year ago.
Non-residents are paying $72 per credit
hour this year. They paid $65 per credit
hour a year ago.
Ten years ago tuition was $18 per credit
hour for residents for each hour up to 12
hours, Bursar James Wickless said. Any
hours taken in a semester from 12 through
16 were free, he said. For 17 hours and
more, $18 per credit hour was charged
again. From February, 1948 to September,
1969, any hours taken over 12 were free,
Wickless said.
UNL ENROLLMENT has increased 2
percent since last year. A record 24,132
students enrolled this fall. For the fall
semester of 1970, 20,810 students were en
rolled, according to Chris Lodes, statistical
technician for Institutional Research and
Planning.
The basic necessities of food and shelter
have increased, too. The cost of a double
room and food for the 1980 academic year
in a UNL dorm is $1,555, Coordinator for
Residence Hall Administration Guriana
Wittstruck said. That amount increased by
$130 since 1979. Since 1970 room and
board costs for an academic year have in
creased 43.4 percent. The 1970 cost was
$880.
As of Aug. 31 , 1980 the Office of Uni
versity Housing had 5,314 student
contracts, Wittstruck said. There has been a
general increase in the number of housing
contracts made by students in the last ten
years, she added. On Sept. 18, 1980 there
were 5,011 student contracts with Univer
sity Housing, she said. However, a gradual
decline in occupancy within the next ten
years is expected, she said.
AS WITH other living quarters, the cost
of living in a Greek house has increased,
said Jayne Anderson, coordinator of
sororities, fraternities and cooperatives.
"I don't know of one house that doesn't
work to keep costs low," she said. Most
houses have the added expense of paying
property taxes to the city, she added.
According to the 1980 rush brochures,
the average cost for an active to live in
a sorority during 1980-81 is $1,513. The
average fraternity cost is $1,600. Individual
house costs may be higher, or lower but
most of them are comparable to dorm
rates, she said.
Cheap entertainment seems to be a
thing of the past. NU football tickets this
year sold for $35. A year ago they were
$25, but there was also one less game,
Ticket Office Manager Helen Wagner said.
In 1970 a student football ticket cost
$12.50.
. NU BASKETBALL tickets this year
cost $10. In 1970 they were $525.
Revenue from 'ticket sales helps support
the athletic department, said Business
Manager William Fischer. The price of
athletic tickets went up because of infla
tion, according to Fischer.
The spirits many people enjoy while
watching and or listening to Nebraska foot
ball have gone up in price right along with
the tickets. A six-pack of beer costs almost
$2 JO, the late Herm Strackbein said in an
interview three weeks ago.
Strackbein was the owner of Herm's
Liquor Store, 1644 P St. for 25 years. A
six-pack cost about $1.45 ten years ago, he
estimated.
"Business is still good," Herm said, in
spite of the higher prices.
Charlie Nichelson, owner of Ace Liquor,
4741 Holdrege St., has been in the liquor
business for 10 years. There has been a nat
ional trend toward more beer and wine
sales in proportion to hard liquor sales, he
said. The price of all alcohol has increased
at about the same rate, he added.
AN ADULT movie ticket in Lincoln
today averages $3. Paul Ellsberry, manager
of Douglas 3 Theatres, 1300 P St., has
worked with movie theaters since 1945. In
1970 an adult movie ticket cost $2, he esti
mated. The largest group of moviegoers today
are between the ages of 10 and 35, he said.
Years earlier the crowd was of a wider age
range, but now shows are slanted more for
a younger audience, he said.
Each time prices increase, Ellsberry said,
he has noted an accompanying decrease in
movie attendance. Therefore, about the
same amount of money is made as before
the price increase, he said.
The consumer price index, which most
people refer to for the inflation rate, has
gone up 113 percent since 1970, UNL
Economics Professor Wallace Peterson said.
In other words, the price of most things
has more than doubled. Although few of
the prices outlined here have increased to
that extent, many have nearly doubled.
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V.- .. ' . .. . V."
Jti ill e J I
Photo by Mark Billingsley
The finances of many UNL students are in a precarious state and-at times-the
whole money mess can come crashing down around them.
Marriage weathers work, school mixture
By Lori McGinn is
For Randy and Becky Hall, the econ
omic pinch means fitting classes, studying
and working into a 24-hour day while still
needing time for their married life.
"It's hard sometimes," said Randy, 24,
a junior criminal justice major. Randy
works 35 to 37 hours a week at the Town
Pump Liquor Store, and carries 12 hours of
classes.
Becky, 23, a junior interior design
major, works 20 hours a week as a cocktail
waitress at Holiday Inn, and carries 13
hours.
"We survive by both working," Randy
said. The couple's tuition is paid with
money they get from raising the cattle
Becky's father lets them have at a cut rate.
Their paychecks are for living expenses,
most of it going into the house they recent
ly bought.
Very little is left after paying the bills,
Randy said. Enough is left to see a movie
or have a few drinks once a week, he said.
But they have no regrets about forsak
ing the luxuries and buying the house.
"SURE THERE ARE times when we
wish we had money that we could go out
and buy a bunch of new clothes, but once
you sit in your own house you can really
enjoy it," he said.
A typical day at the Hall household
begins at 7 am. when their Siamese cat,
Mandy, wakes them up with her loud
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Daily Nebraskan hoto
Randy and Becky Hall relax in their house during one of their few free moments.
meows. Becky drives to class at 8:30 or 9
a.m. Randy usually rides his bike to his
class which begins at 9:30.
Randy gets home at noon, eats lunch,
studies and goes to work at 3 pjn. Becky
gets home at 3 and then must go to work.
Because of their busy schedules, Becky
and Randy sometimes don't see each other
much. It doesn't bother Randy to come
home to an empty house when Becky
works until 1:30 ajn., but he said it does
get lonesome.
"I come home and it's just me, the TV
and the stereo," he said. "But we always
think that in another year and a half we'll
both be done and then we've got the rest
of our lives to be together."
BUT BECKY said that despite their
schedules, they do find time for them
selves. "You'd be surprised how many spare
minutes you can find," she said.
The couple tries to keep Sunday free so
they can do things together.
Randy and Becky don't mind putting
up with their schedules because they are
determined to get their degrees.
"We're really looking forward to getting
our degrees because we know weVe work
ed for them," he said.
Although they do not receive financial
aid, they have each applied for student
loans.
"I think that for a student, finances are
a silly reason to quit school," Becky said.
Becky said they don't gripe about
working hard. Rather, they feel lucky for
having their jobs.
"We're very fortunate to have what we
do have," Randy said. "There are lots of
people with better houses, but were very
fortunate to be going to school and have a
house."