Student leaders at the University Board of Trustees meeting were uneasy about the possibility of a tuition hike to cover losses in state funding. Yet some acknowledged that such a possibility may stir students to shed their reputation for apathy.

"The way Penn State is now, it's efficient. An easy way out would be to raise tuition. I guess this is kind of the knock on the head of the sleeping giant," said Undergraduate Student Government President J.P. Muir, suggesting that the threat of a tuition increase would spur students to action.

A tentative plan presented by University President Joab Thomas listed one objective as trying to avoid a tuition increase for this semester. However, Thomas' uncertainty about the cost of tuition caused some to ponder the president's alternatives.

Graduate Student Government President Ken Martin rejected any possibility of a tuition hike for this semester. Such an increase, which would come in the form of a mid-semester surcharge, would be "desperate," Martin said.

Yet a tuition hike next year, beyond the expected 6 percent increase, would probably not exceed 9 or 10 percent, Martin predicted. An exorbitant increase would hurt enrollment, Martin said, because the University already is one of the most expensive public universities in the nation.

"It's all in the marketing," he said. "You know, the 99 cents-$1 idea. They probably won't take it into the double digits -- even if things get worse, I think the University would be reluctant to take it over 10 percent, although it could go considerably over that."

Gregg Lalle, the board's Council of Commonwealth Student Governments representative, predicted a tuition hike for Fall Semester.

"I think there will definitely be a tuition increase -- the percentage is what's arguable," Lalle said.

Lalle said CCSG is encouraging Commonwealth campus students to address state legislators for more funding.

Muir also said a tuition hike next year seems inevitable unless the state recovers its losses and restores the withdrawn funding.

"I can't support a tuition hike, but I think that we can't attack the University administration because their hands are tied," Muir said. "The key is in Harrisburg. The people with the loudest voices will be the ones that are heard."

Perhaps the threat of a large tuition hike would make student voices louder, he added.

Student trustee E.J. Schaeffer suggested that a letter-writing campaign would be an effective method of retrieving lost funds. However, Schaeffer rejected the notion that a tuition increase would be a panacea for the funding cuts.

"I don't foresee a tuition increase," Schaeffer said. "I have faith that (Thomas) will ask everyone to pitch in and will not raise tuition unless he has to."

Schaeffer applauded Thomas' response, which involves shaving unnecessary expenses, and pointed out that he had few options.

"We were already running so leanly," he said.

Schaeffer lamented the maintenance delays, saying, "We have a beautiful campus. I hate to see things like that be cut."