CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., May 9, 2008 – The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents today approved a new fee schedule to take effect with the fall 2008 semester.
Under the approved plan, incidental fees charged to students will increase by $8 per credit hour for Missouri undergraduates, $9.10 per credit hour for Missouri graduate students, $16 per credit hour for non-resident undergraduates, $18.20 per credit hour for non-resident graduate students, and $5 per credit hour for lower division courses at Southeast's regional campuses in Kennett, Malden and Sikeston, Mo.
The new per credit hour incidental fee rates charged to students will be $184.80 per credit hour for resident undergraduates, $213.30 per credit hour for resident graduate students, $339.30 per credit hour for non-resident undergraduates, $393.30 per credit hour for non-resident graduate students, and $119 per credit hour for lower division courses at Southeast's regional campuses. Incidental fees for lower division courses at the regional campuses are currently set at a lower incidental fee, comparable to community college costs, said Kathy Mangels, vice president for business and finance.
Mangels said the University's Budget Review Committee considered the impact of Senate Bill 389 when setting incidental fees. In accord with that bill, Southeast may only increase resident undergraduate tuition by the percentage increase in the consumer price index, she said. For fiscal 2009, the allowable percentage increase is 4.1 as determined by the Missouri Department of Higher Education. At Southeast, this calculates to an allowable increase of $8.09 per credit hour increase for resident undergraduates, Mangels said.
The Southeast Regents today approved the allowable $8.09 and $9.22 per credit hour increases. However, the Regents agreed to only charge students an additional $8 per credit hour for resident undergraduates and $9.10 per credit hour for resident graduate students for fall 2008 and spring and summer 2009. Under action approved today by the Board, the University will waive 9 cents from the allowable $8.09 per credit hour increase for resident undergraduates, 12 cents from the allowable $9.22 per credit hour increase for Missouri graduate students, and 23 cents from the allowable $5.23 per credit hour increase for lower division courses at Southeast's regional campuses.
In addition to incidental fees, the fee schedule approved today includes a previously approved increase in the general fee of $2 per credit hour for the Student Aquatic Center, athletics and student programming and $1 per credit hour for maintenance and repair. This is in keeping with action approved by the Board in April 2005 in which the Regents approved a $2 per credit hour increase per year in general fees for students beginning in fall 2005 through fiscal 2010, with the proceeds funding construction and operation of the Student Aquatic Center, student programming, intramurals and enhanced student support for athletics. The $1 increase in the general fee for maintenance and repair is in keeping with action approved by the Board in April 2006 in which the Regents approved a $1 per credit hour general fee for renovation of academic facilities, particularly science labs, with an additional increase of this fee of $1 per credit hour per year through fiscal 2012.
With these previously approved increases, the general fee, beginning in fall 2008, will be $23.70 per credit hour for students on the Cape Girardeau campus. Based on the new incidental and general student fee increases, total required fees per credit hour charged to students will be $208.50 for resident undergraduates, $237 per credit hour for resident graduate students, $363 per credit hour for non-resident undergraduates, $417 per credit hour for non-resident graduate students and $132.50 per credit hour for lower division courses at Southeast's regional campuses.
Mangels said that during the Budget Review Committee's deliberations, state appropriations had not yet been approved by the Senate/House Conference Committee. Subsequent to the Budget Review Committee's deliberations, the Conference Committee agreed on the final state budget, which includes a 4.3 percent increase in operating appropriations for higher education. This equates to an increase of $1.9 million, after withholdings, for Southeast, rather than $1.8 million, the figure used by the Budget Review Committee, she said.
Compensation increases were again a priority for interest groups represented on the Budget Review Committee because salary increases have been minimal over the last few years due to decreased state funding levels, Mangels said. She says ongoing minimum wage increases are causing a significantly smaller gap between the wages of students and clerical/technical/service staff wages, and there are market pay issues with some faculty and staff.
She says Southeast is strongly committed to its mission of providing quality academic programs with reasonable access to prospective students in its service region.
"We closely monitor how fee increases affect Southeast students," she said.
Mangels says Southeast's fees will remain lower than almost every comparable university. Southeast's incidental fees for fiscal 2009 will be less than the University of Missouri-Columbia's rate of $245.60 per credit hour, Missouri State University's rate of $186 per credit hour, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's rate of $232.50 per credit hour, Truman State University's rate of $252.75 per credit hour, and Murray State University's rate of $205.50 per credit hour. Southeast's incidental fees for fiscal 2009 will be more than Northwest Missouri State University's rate of $154.69 per credit hour.
When considering both incidental and general fees for a 12-hour semester, Southeast's costs are lower than every comparable university in the region, however, Arkansas State University has not yet set its fees for next fiscal year.
In related action, the Board approved a special course fee to take effect with the fall 2008 semester. Special course fees are requested by departments to cover the cost of consumable supplies or other expenses unique to a course. Mangels says formalizing "up-front" billing avoids surprise costs to students after they enroll.
The special course fee approved by the Regents today is $150 for CJ834 "Field Experiences in Corrections," an increase of $25. Mangels said this course involves travel and touring of eight correctional facilities throughout Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Arkansas. The Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology leases two vehicles and provides gas to support travel for this course, she said. The approved increase will offset rising gas prices and rental fees, Mangels said.
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