SEMO regents to consider new tuition rates for online degree programs

The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents will consider single tuition rates for online degree students at its meeting Tuesday.

In addition, as part of the measure, the per-credit-hour program fee for the online RN to BSN nursing program would be reduced from $100 to $20, university officials said.

A university committee earlier this year recommended the school implement a single, per-credit-hour tuition rate for all online degree program students, regardless of residency.

School officials will recommend the board approve a single tuition rate of $265 per credit hour for online undergraduate courses and $325 per credit hour for online graduate courses, effective for the fall 2016 semester.

The regents are scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. in the board room at Academic Hall.

In the 2014-2015 academic year, the university offered 12 undergraduate online degrees and seven online graduate degrees that had separate tuition rates for in-state and out-of-state students. Those online degree programs generated more than 10,000 student credit hours, but out-of-state students generated only 7 percent of those credit hours, officials said.

Kathy Mangels, vice president of finance and administration at Southeast, said in a report to the board working adults constitute "one of the primary markets for students in online degree programs."

She wrote: "Many employers offer programs to reimburse an employee's educational expenses, However, many reimburse only for tuition and not other associated fees."

Mangels explained in many cases, Southeast's total fees per credit hour are lower than those of other colleges, but the out-of-pocket expense to the student employee may be substantially higher because of the separate billing for general fees and online fees.

"Combining these fees into a single tuition rate will make Southeast's online degree programs more attractive to employers and working adults," she said.

This academic year, a student pays $252.50 per credit hour for in-state undergraduate courses and $314 per credit hour for in-state graduate courses.

Mangels said based on current enrollments, the proposed fees for undergraduate and graduate online degree program courses will keep revenue "neutral."

Students still would pay separately for course and program fees. Course fees help offset the cost of consumable supplies used by students, Mangels said.

"Course fees are minimal, usually $10 to $15 per course, and are not associated with many courses in online degree programs," Mangels pointed out, adding such fees help cover expenses for high-cost academic programs.

Reducing the online nursing degree program fee would bring it in line with the program fees charged for other academic programs, including the on-campus nursing degree program, Mangels said.

The move could result in an initial loss of $116,000 in revenue, but higher revenue from new enrollments as a result of the single tuition rate is expected to make up the loss, she said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

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