April 10, 2008

Tuition increase plan approved by board

by Tim Crosby

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees, meeting in Edwardsville, today (April 10) approved increased tuition rates for students throughout the University system for the 2008-09 school year.

Trustees approved the increases to fund additional cost obligations for the University. Without the additional funding, education opportunities would suffer at SIU, they said.

The increases will not affect students who fall within the four-year guaranteed rate, which encompasses 48 continuous months from the time they first enroll.

For the Carbondale campus, the board approved:

• Raising the tuition of new undergraduate students by 9.9 percent, to $232.50 per credit hour. Assuming a 15-hour class load, the annual cost for these students will be $6,975, an increase of $627.

• Raising the tuition of continuing students who enrolled in fall 2004 by 7.9 percent, to $177 per credit hour. Assuming a 15-hour class load, the annual cost for these students will be $5,310, an increase of $390.

• Raising the tuition of graduate students by 14.1 percent, to $313.90 per credit hour. Assuming a 12-hour class load, the annual cost to these students will be $7,533.60, an increase of $933.60.

• Raising the tuition of physician assistant students by 5.9 percent, to $576.90 per credit hour. The annual cost for these students will be $20,989, an increase of $1,167.

• Raising the tuition rate of SIU School of Law students by 5 percent, to $340.20. Assuming a 15-hour class load, the annual cost to these students will be $10,206, an increase of $486.

• Raising the tuition of SIU School of Medicine students by 5 percent. The annual cost for these students will be $22,210, an increase of $1,058.