Students who enrolled in 2004 may have their tuition increase 25 percent, students enrolled before 2004 may have their tuition increase 9 percent next school year.
Members of the University’s Administration discussed in a town hall meeting on Nov. 20 about proposed tuition increases for ’08 – ’09, school year. Students that enrolled in 2004 are the first class of students to have their tuition locked in for four years because of the Truth in Tuition plan.
These four years are now up at the end of this school year, if students aren’t graduating this year they will be affected. Approval of the increases go before the Board of Trustees on Feb. 7, 2008.
“The state money we’re getting is flat and the cost to run the school is rising there is really only two other places where we get money; money from grants and donors, the other is money form tuition,” said Mark Wilcockson, Vice President of Finance and Administration.
In a report to the Board of Trustees dated Sept. 20 says, “From our fiscal year 2002 appropriation through our fiscal year 2008 appropriation, Northeastern has seen our available funding from the State’s General Fund decrease by $4.6 million, or 10.2 percent.” Wilcockson stated that this was the main reasoning behind the tuition increases.
Students enrolled in 2004 their tuition will increase from $124 to $155 per credit hour, which translates to an increase of $372 for 12 credit hours. Wilcockson added that these students will still pay less than any one else in the school.
“It is a challenge to predict the revenue from enrollment,” said Wilcockson. The numbers of enrollment from this year will be basis in predicting next year’s income from tuition.
A report from Enrollment Services says that since 2003 enrollment has dropped 1.9 percent, and in the last two years it has dropped 3.8 percent. The report also said that in the five-year period from 2003 to present the freshmen enrollment has dropped 15.4 percent. Wilcockson told the Independent, “This was definitely factored in the decision for the tuition increase.” He also stated that the decline in enrollment is a concern for the predictability of the income coming from students.
“At least give us benefits and programs that would make [the increases] worth it,” said a senior who enrolled in 2003. This student who wished to be anonymous also said, “that it might help to reduce the cost of parking permits.”
According to Wilcockson rates for parking don’t go through administration, it goes through the parking office. Also, the cost of health insurance hasn’t been figured in the tuition cost because Wilcockson said that the school doesn’t know how much next year’s health insurance will be.
“We hope to get enough money to improve the amount course sections, but this [increase] will help with keeping the school running with its unavoidable costs, like electricity,” said Wilcockson. He continued that like last year because state money is flat, “we don’t have much of an option, but to raise the tuition.”
Students enrolled from 2005 and after will not be affected by any tuition increases until their four years are up.
“We want to have these meetings this way each year,” said Kimberly Murphy Student Government Vice President. She said this would create more transparency between students and administration. Murphy also complimented on the good information and felt the administration was helpful in explaining their reasons.
Provost Lawrence P. Frank explained that this problem with funding is not just a university problem, “it is a national and statewide problem,” said Frank.