EL PASO, Texas -- The University of Texas at El Paso is proposing a tuition hike, and Wednesday students got a chance to learn more about why university administrators say they need more money from them.

During Wednesday’s on-campus forum, UTEP administrators told students they need the $280 tuition hike over the next two years to maintain competitive faculty salaries, and to help UTEP make the transition to a tier one university.

"Some of us will have to take out more loans. But it is an investment and I want to get the best education possible. I want UTEP to become that tier one institution,” said Leo Negrete, a UTEP graduate student.

You can learn more about the proposed tuition hike Thursday, when UTEP hosts another forum that's open to the general public.

It's happening at 3 p.m., in the Undergraduate Learning Center, in room 106 on campus.