Out-of-state tuition, course fees see increase

Chancellor Brady Deaton also reported to the board on MU's budget.

By Zachary Murdock

Published April 20, 2010

The UM system Board of Curators voted 7 to 1 Friday to raise tuition for out-of-state undergraduate students starting this summer. Curator Doug Russell was absent for the voting, and curator David Wasinger was the only dissenting vote. The board also voted to keep in-state, undergraduate tuition flat under a tuition freeze deal with Gov. Jay Nixon.

The board, which is the UM system’s governing body, had covered the tuition proposals during the previous day's meetings and went straight into voting without discussion Friday.

The raise will increase tuition across all four UM campuses. At MU and Missouri University of Science and Technology, out-of-state tuition will increase by 5 percent, and at UM-Kansas City and UM-St. Louis, out-of-state tuition rates will increase by 2.7 percent.

The proposal passed Friday includes an increase in UM system graduate school tuition rates by 2.7 percent, as well as increases in professional school tuition rates, as decided by each university.

The policy also increased and created new fees for all UM campuses, including higher course enrollment and laboratory fees.

Course fees for the Trulaske College of Business will more than double, increasing from $34.40 to $75 per credit hour. Fees and tuition rates will also climb for the College of Veterinary Medicine, the School of Law and the School of Nursing for MU.

Beginning this summer, the increases are effective for the 2011 fiscal year.

Chancellor Brady Deaton spoke to the curators before their vote regarding the state of MU's budget and the school's financial outlook.

Deaton emphasized transparency and planning in this year's budget, as well as MU's long-term budget planning, with projections up to 20 years in the future.

"We engage in a very multi-year planning process," Deaton said. "We're proud of the way we look ahead three years for our budget and five years for enrollment numbers."

Deaton said an important part of the fiscal year 2011 budget comes from $18 million in funding located to help secure certain pieces of the budget. Half of that was allocated to offset state revenue losses and the other $9 million in one-time funds will offset temporary withholdings.

Deaton said MU saved approximately $4.6 million in energy conservation on campus this year and MU is using debt financing for total renovations of Tate and Switzer halls on campus.

"We will continue to be economical in managing our auxiliaries," Deaton said.

Despite an emphasis on saving money, MU is facing growing enrollment. This growth in collected tuition, Deaton said, will contribute to growing revenues in the future.

In his regular address to the curators, UM system President Gary Forsee addressed issues facing the UM system budget and said the focus of the system is on access and affordability to undergraduate students.

"We want to keep the door open for students," Forsee said.

Forsee praised the system for its efforts to maintain graduation and retention rates despite tremendous growth of the four UM universities. With 24 percent growth across all four campuses, Forsee said the universities will have to continue to focus on maintaining such numbers.

Despite budget issues, Forsee said the system would be involved in several projects, including continued funding for Access Missouri.

"This advocacy group is a statewide initiative that will ensure that Missourians understand the role that higher education plays in the state," Forsee said.

In closing, Forsee thanked the curators for their work on tuition and budget adjustments but focused on the work ahead and the need for economic progress.