University of Arizona president Robert Shelton and other administrators met with student leaders Wednesday in a retreat-style meeting to talk about tuition. Students said it went really well.

The student leaders viewed a presentation of the FY2010 budget and revenue trends and talked about “the cliff,” which is how people on campus are referring to a big drop in public tax funding expected in 2012.

They also talked about ways to solve the revenue problem. One way, of course, is to increase tuition and fees that students pay.

“We had a conversation about what students want, how much students are willing to pay and what the university needs to maintain its quality,” said Elma Delic, a junior political science and journalism student who represented the Arizona Students Association at the retreat.

The point she tried to express was that students know a tuition hike is coming, but it shouldn’t be crippling.

Shelton was responsive to concerns and encouraging, she said. Shelton said students articulated their points well.

There was a lot of discussion about the right combination of increases for tuition, fees and surcharges.

The students also expressed concern about dropping state support for higher education. “The cost of education is increasing and the state hasn’t been doing its part,” said Cory Christenson, a Ph.D. student in physics who attended the retreat as a graduate student council representative.

Tuition and mandatory fees at the University of Arizona cost $6,855 this year, compared to $2,348 in 2000-01. For out-of-state students, the cost is $22,264, compared to $9,804 in 2000-01.

We’ll hear much more about all of this when the Arizona Board of Regents tuition and fee-setting process begins in February.