COST OF SEMO EDUCATION GOING UP

Southeast Missouri State University students will see increases in tuition, general fees and residence-hall and textbook costs in the fall.

The university Board of Regents approved a series of fee increases Monday.

Incidental fees will go up $2.80 per credit hour for resident students and $5.80 per credit hour for non-resident students, an overall increase of 3.2 percent.

Under the new structure, resident undergraduate students will pay $90.30 per credit hour while resident graduate students will pay $96.30.

Non-resident undergraduates will pay $167.30 per credit hour while non-resident graduate students will pay $178.30.

Dr. Ken Dobbins, the university's executive vice president, told regents that Student Government had unanimously approved a resolution to keep incidental fee increases in line with rises in inflation.

While inflation went up 2.5 to 2.7 percent last year, Dobbins said, the university's Budget Review Committee recommended the slightly higher level.

"We believe we will have quite a few initiatives (under the university's strategic plan) that we'll be able to fund with this instead of just going along with what we've been doing," he said.

Christie L. Johnson, 20, of Cooter, who was sworn into office Monday as the regent student representative, said most of the feedback she has gotten from students has been positive toward the fee increases.

"Students realize that in order to get some of the things they're wanting, like the computer lab, they're going to have to endure some fee increases, so they're supportive of it," Johnson said.

Regents also approved a $1.20 increase in general student fees for all students. That increase includes a $1 per credit hour student computer fee earmarked to maintain and improve the university's computer network plus a 20-cent increase per credit hour in the student athletics fee.

The computer fee is expected to generate an additional $187,500, while the student athletics fee should generate an additional $37,500.

The increases bring the total general fees to $5.70 per student per credit hour.

When combined with incidental fees, total cost per credit hour will be $96 for resident undergraduates, $102 for resident graduate students, $173 for non-resident undergraduates, and $184 for non-resident graduate students.

The residence-hall increase varies because some of the halls -- such as Towers North and West -- offer a number of amenities not available in other halls, said Sue Ann Strom, vice president of student affairs.

Towers North and West, which were renovated last year, will see the biggest fee hike at 9.1 percent each, Strom said. That increase reflects the improvements made plus the high demand for rooms in those halls.

"In fact, had we had a third renovation in Towers this past fall, we'd have sufficient interest to fill another 235 beds," she said.

Annual fees will be $3,090 for a suite or $2,975 for a triple room in both those halls.

Greek and Dearmont halls saw the lowest increases at 2.3 percent. Annual fees will be $2,200 for both halls.

Residence-hall fees are expected to bring in $4,169,670 next year, based on a projected occupancy of 1,679 students, or 82 percent of the total available beds.

Revenues in excess of expenditures will be pumped back into the residence halls to fund capital improvements.

Regent Donald Dickerson suggested the university staff consider lowering residence-hall fees to increase occupancy.

"Basically, as I look at our available occupancy and our projected annual occupancy, we've got a million dollars worth of space we're not selling," Dickerson said. "We need a moving sale."

Strom said some of the residence halls are considered less desirable than others. She also pointed out that residence hall occupancy, now at 86 percent, is back on the upswing after reaching a low point of 66 percent in 1992.

During that period, she said, fewer dollars were put into maintaining and refurbishing the residence halls. The passage of a bond issue during that period allowed improvements to residence halls but also added debt, Strom said.

"If we can improve on the occupancy, then we have a choice to make," she said. "Do we continue to raise the fees, and with the money we make, do we continue to put the money back into the residence halls?"

If fees are lowered to attract more students, she said, expenses also will go up, "and I'm not sure we could hold (fees) with additional students living in the halls."

Board contracts were also increased by 5.2 percent, and are expected to bring in $2.657,300, bringing the total projected revenue from room and board to $7.4 million.

Rental rates for the university's non-traditional student housing also will increase by $5 per month, or 2 percent. Rental rates for the 18 available units at 401 Washington and 505 Washington will range from $245 to $325, and the units are expected to generate $61,942.

Also increasing next year will be textbook rental fees, which will go up from $12 per course to $14. Average cost will be $140 per student per year with the increase.

In 1995, the university's Textbook Services lost $57,000 under the $12 fee structure, Strom said.