Southeast regents approve tuition increase

The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents at its meeting Friday approved a 2.8 percent tuition increase, effective fall semester 2017.

The regents approved an increase of $6.50 per credit hour for resident undergraduate students.

Total per credit hour tuition and general fees charged to undergraduate students beginning in fall 2017 will be $239.50. Most courses at Southeast are three credit hours.

After a two-hour closed session, the regents reconvened in open session and unanimously approved the tuition and fees increase with little comment.

Board president Jay Knudtson said he believed the university staff had done "a nice job" allowing the board to digest the budget concerns and "making sure the students are the least harmed."

Regent Thomas Meyer said he has agonized over the university's budget concerns, adding he appreciated the input from the budget review committee and university president Carlos Vargas-Aburto.

"This is not an easy process," Meyer said. "This is a challenge very well taken, to the benefits of the students and community."

Eight special course fees also will take effect with the fall 2017 semester.

The charge for an official transcript will go from $7.50 to $10, effective July 1.

The tuition and fee increase is part of a multi-year plan to increase revenue and decrease expenses, Vargas said.

The university anticipates a $6.1 million revenue need for fiscal 2018, assuming an expected 8.5 percent reduction of state funding and a $4.05 million reduction in expenses over fiscal years 2018 and 2019.

FY18 begins in August 2017.

The expense reductions include eliminating 13 vacant staff positions, closing the St. Louis outreach office, changes to employee health-insurance benefits and reorganizing departments including Kent Library and Public Safety.

Tuition at satellite campuses also will go up by $10 per credit hour, putting the total at $170.

Tuition and fees for non-resident and graduate students also will increase. Nonresident undergraduates will pay $424 per credit hour, up $11.50. Web courses will be $272.25 for undergraduates, up $7.25 per credit hour, and $334 for graduate students, up $9 per credit hour. Resident graduate students will pay $303.75, up $7.25 per credit hour, and non-resident graduate students will pay $537.75, up $13.75 per credit hour.

The remaining $2.05 million in revenue will be generated by tuition and fee increases, increased overhead contribution from auxiliary operations and existing fees from such items as applications and installment plans,

After the closed-door meeting, Knudtson said the regents had discussed board bylaws. The board then, in open session, tabled the bylaws until revisions could be completed and reviewed.

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