No plans for tuition increase at SEMO as other area institutions raise their fees

With tuition rising at institutions all around it, Southeast Missouri State University is an island -- for now.

"We don't have a plan now to increase tuition," said Southeast Missouri State University provost Ronald Rosati.

Admittedly, it's early in the game. As a two-year tuition freeze seems to be melting, Missouri's universities and community colleges are beginning to propose increases, although some not as severe as originally expected.

The University of Missouri Board of Curators on Friday approved a 5.5 percent average increase for in-state undergraduates as well as out-of-state residents, who pay more. They rejected an alternative proposal by curator Don Downing to cap the increases at 5 percent. The tuition boost must still be approved by the state Department of Higher Education because such increases are supposed to be no more than the federal government's annual inflation rate, which most recently was 1.5 percent.

Gov. Jay Nixon in late 2009 reached an agreement with university and college presidents to freeze tuition in exchange for a 5.2 percent reduction in higher education funding; the funding cut could have been higher. With the decision by the state's biggest university system, that deal appears to be over.

"We wish we could continue to hold the line on tuition and fees as we have for the past two years," the system's interim president, Steve Owens, said in a release.

Three Rivers Community College's board of trustees recently approved raising tuition by $5 per credit hour this fall for in-district and out-of-state students, to $72 and $144 per credit hour, respectively.

Trustees are expected next month to decide on an increase in out-of-district tuition, paid by a majority of Three Rivers students, and the rate most students enrolled at the Partnership for Higher Education in Cape Girardeau pay. The partnership is a two-year institution of higher education supported by Southeast Missouri State University, Three Rivers and Mineral Area Community College. Three Rivers president Devin Stephenson is recommending three scenarios that could boost out-of-district tuition by $7, $10 or $12 per credit hour, currently at $107.

"We did a survey of some institutions across the state, and for every dollar increase in district per credit hour, they doubled it for out-of-district students," Stephenson said. "I don't know where the board will land; they are looking further at the number."

The administrator says about 50 percent of all of Three Rivers credit hours are produced out of district. Enrollment for the spring semester is more than 3,700 students, another record headcount.

Missouri's community and technical colleges are asking their boards to hold tuition increases at 5 percent, a move influenced by the governor's pledge to keep higher education budget cuts to no more than 7 percent.

Steven Kurtz, president of Mineral Area College, said the institution's board is waiting to see where state budget numbers fall. He said a tuition increase could be less than $5 per credit hour, depending on how things shake out.

"There's a lot of time between now and the date the governor signs the budget bill," he said. "I've learned not to count on anything until the ink dries."

In-district tuition at the community college is $83 per credit hour, $108 out of district. About 42 percent of students pay out-of-district tuition at Mineral Area College, and that rate will be what students in the Partnership for Higher Education's applied science degree program will pay.

As the community college continues to post record growth, with a fall enrollment of nearly 4,000 students, Kurtz said state cuts in recent years have cost students.

"Like a lot of community colleges, we're full during peak demand times," he said. "I'm sure we did not meet the need of everyone trying to register for classes."

Even if tuition remains frozen at Southeast, students will face higher fees next year to pay for much of the cost of the university's campuswide renovation plan. The bonds alone are $59.25 million. Student general fees are set to rise $5 per credit hour on top of a $6 maintenance fee, to be in full force next year. Regents gave their support to a Student Government Association recommendation to phase in the $5 fee increase over the next three years.

Undergraduate incidental fees for Missouri residents are $184.80 per credit hour, with general fees at $23.70 per credit hour, according to the university's 2010-2011 fee schedule.

mkittle@semissourian.com

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