Rising tuition costs at UTEP are caused by decreasing state funding to public institutions as funds are prioritized for K-12 education. From the school's perspective, higher tuition allows for better salaries and facilities while motivating students to work harder. However, increased costs put more financial strain on students and may lead to more debt. The document proposes having open discussions between students and faculty to agree on reasonable increases, and finding alternative private funding to help offset tuition hikes for students.