SOUTHEAST WILL REMAIN GOOD EDUCATIONAL VALUE

Attending Southeast Missouri State University this fall will require deeper pockets. Combined tuition and room and board fees for many beginning students will total more than $4,500. That marks an increase of about $500 over current fees.

The increase might make some students - and parents - flinch. But this fee hike must be placed into perspective. Even with the higher price tag, Southeast remains a good value for college-bound students.

College isn't cheap, but neither is quality. Higher education may be like many other products we purchase: When it comes to quality, you get what you pay for more often than not.

Southeast's action follows a nationwide trend, in which public institutions are demanding students pay a bigger share of the costs. Look at student fees as a true user tax. The minority who use the service are paying more for it, instead of the majority of taxpayers.

Even with the increase, student fees cover only about 28 percent of Southeast's general operating costs. Of the remainder, 67 percent comes from state revenues. The fact student fees must raise 28 percent of the budget is mandated by the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education.

The $4,500 price tag remains within reach of most students who are willing to work part-time to pay for college. For 32 weeks of classes and room and board each year, the average student pays less than $20 a day. For the education alone, the cost is just over $10 a day. That's still a good value.

This year, Southeast's semester fee was $745 for full-time undergraduates. That remains well below the average four-year public institution's fees of $905. Southeast's current fees were also below charges at Northwest, Northeast, Southwest and the University of Missouri campuses. If students (or their parents) really want to cringe, they should compare the costs of many private universities - many of which top $10,000 for yearly tuition alone.

Southeast is not unique in its higher fees. Experts predict the average rate of increase for most public four-year institutions could approach double digits. These same experts agree that the era of the low-tuition public sector is clearly over.

No one will argue that Southeast Missouri State University will cost more this fall. But even with the sizable increase in fees, the university remains a good educational value for the region.