BALANCING COSTS, ENROLLMENT AT SEMO

Administrators at Southeast Missouri State University are seeking a delicate balance between the cost of a college education and methods to attract more students to the campus here in Cape Girardeau.

Not too long ago, the university set a target of 10,300 students by 2000. Officials say having more than 10,000 students -- up from last fall's 8,200 -- is an achievable goal, although they concede it may take longer than anticipated.

Meanwhile, the university's regents are looking at increases in tuition and fees as well as increases in room-and-board charges for campus housing.

All of this comes at a time when the university is engaged in an ambitious building program aimed at making the campus a truly up-to-date and functional campus. Many of the school's administrators tout the marketing potential of a modern campus that offers outstanding learning programs at an affordable price.

The trick, of course, is to strike a balance that both satisfies the university's financial needs and maintains an attractive education option for potential college students.

Part of the increase in fees at Southeast would be used to pay off some of the building costs. But those increases -- 50 cents a semester here and 50 cents a semester there -- aren't likely to sway students one way or the other, because they are so small.

Looking at the total cost, however, and comparing it to the costs at other state universities both in Missouri and in nearby border states, could prove to be a factor in deciding where to go to school.

Both Murray State University in Tennessee and Arkansas State University at Jonesboro have special deals for some of the students in the Southeast Missouri area served by SEMO. Only Arkansas State offers a plan for students from 11 Bootheel counties that is less expensive than Southeast's tuition. Southeast offers no break for out-of-state students, and the school generally tries to make sure students pay at least a third of the cost of their college education.

Cost isn't the only consideration, of course. In some cases geography plays a big part in deciding where to go to college, particularly for the increasing number of commuter students who hold full- or part-time jobs and also attend college. In some parts of Southeast Missouri, the Arkansas State and Murray State campuses are closer than Cape Girardeau, which translates into lower travel expenses to and from classes and less time spent in the car.

These factors, naturally, have not escaped the attention of university administrators charged with building enrollment nor of the regents who ultimately must make a decision on tuition, fees and room and board.

In the end, enrollment is likely to grow the most at any school that offers -- and has the reputation for offering -- the best programs that lead to good jobs. Any number of colleges and universities have staked their reputations on the quality of their learning environments and job placement, and they have more applicants than they could possibly fit into their programs. Generally, these are not low-cost colleges.

Southeast would like to have a similar situation. Fees and living expenses may be only a small factor when it comes to topping the 10,000 figure in enrollment.