Trustees could approve 3.8 % increase in tuition, fees today

The IU board of trustees will vote on a possible increase in tuition today, which would be in addition to the $1,000 increase approved last year for incoming students. \nIU Chief Financial Officer Judy Palmer presented the case for a total increase of 3.8 percent -- about $202 -- to student fees during a trustees meeting Thursday.\nAccording to Palmer's proposal, tuition would rise for returning students by 4 percent. As a result, total attendance costs for returning students would rise 3.8 percent. Out-of-state returning students could face a total increase of 3.9 percent. New students, in addition to the proposed increases, also face a $1,000 increase approved last year, bringing their total in-state increase to 22.6 percent and out-of state increase to 10.2 percent.\nTrustee Patrick Shoulders said that though he wishes it didn't have to happen, IU doesn't have many other choices to bring in revenue.\n"I think that once I'm convinced that we have little other alternative, I will be favorably disposed to that (increase)," he said. "While the state budget did great things for us, there is great pressure on us to stay even."\nShoulders said IU gets a quarter of its operating budget from the state and $100 million was cut from the last budget handed down by the state legislature.\n"We shared the burden with the rest of the people of the state," he said.\nIn her proposal, Palmer said the increases were necessary to fund slight faculty and staff pay raises and to cover the increasing costs of employee benefits. The increases will allow for a 3 to 4 percent boost in total compensation for University employees.\nThe Indiana State Legislature addressed the issue of rising costs and low state funding with a request to state schools that they not increase their tuitions by more than 5 percent.\nIU spokesman Bill Stephan said he expects the trustees to make an increase within that margin.\n"It's something that the trustees respect," he said. "I think it's probable that they will pass this, or at least authorize another tuition increase. I don't know what that number will be."\nIn recent years, IU and Purdue University have been at the bottom of public Big Ten universities in total monies collected through both tuition fees and state funding. On average, IU collects a total of $14,765 per student in state funding and tuition. Topping the list are the Universities of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.\nStephan said this is because Indiana puts more financial emphasis on student financial aid.\n"One of the things that the state has done traditionally, though they haven't been supportive as far as student appropriation, is support with a large amount of financial aid," he said. "On balance, the state has put a value on accessibility so Hoosiers can continue their education at quality institutions."\nThe state has also supported IU in capital expenditures for construction and expansion, such as new science and medicine research buildings for IU-Purdue University Indianapolis and IU Bloomington, and Schools of Informatics across many campuses.