University of Puerto Rico Board Voted To Eliminate $800 Tuition Surcharge

Governor Garcia Padilla providing additional funding to the University of Puerto Rico system.

By H. Nelson Goodson

January 27, 2013

San Juan, Puerto Rico - On Saturday, the Board of Directors of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) voted to eliminate the $800 tuition surcharge it initiated several years ago that sparked student protests and the resignation of the university system president. Luis Berrios Amadeo, the UPR Board President says, the Board decided to eliminate the surcharge, which takes effect on July 1. After the newly elected Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla pledged and pushed to introduce legislation to provide additional funding for the university system.

The statewide university system operates on a $1.5 billion budget shared among 11 campuses that includes more than 64,000 students and more than 5,000 faculty members. 

Several years ago, the UPR Board approved an increase of $800 tuition surcharge to help offset a $70 million budget deficit.