Administration is seeking to approve a tuition increase of 2.95 percent for the 2018-2019 academic school year. The increase will raise tuition cost and affect class tuition, athletics, academic programs and the student center fee.
Eric Algoe, vice president of the Division of Finance and Support Services, gave a presentation to students Oct. 25 and explained the budget and where the increase would be distributed.
A student taking the standard 15 credit hours will pay approximately $161 more each semester. The designated tuition will go from about $219 to $230 per semester credit hour. The student center fee and the athletic fee will increase by $18 and $1, respectively.
According to Algoe, the tuition increase will generate $8,984,460. However, due to recent cuts made in the state legislature, the university will generate a revenue of $5,188,275. The revenue will be applied to new academic programs, insurance and scholarships.
The new academic programs include adding the following degrees, Master of Science in Engineering, Master of Science in Respiratory Therapy, Ph.D. in Anthropology and a Ph.D. in Computer Science.
In addition, the money will add several master’s degrees for the College of Business and bachelor’s degrees in environmental engineering.
The student center fee will increase from $82 to $100. The increase was included due to the results of a student referendum which passed Feb. 25, 2016. The renovations done to the LBJ Student center will feature more meeting spaces, offices and resources.
Joanne Smith, vice president of Student Affairs, said the student center fee is not set to increase every year.
“This specific increase was due to the student referendum and was spread out between semesters,” Smith said.
The athletics programs will not receive revenue from the $1 fee increase.
The expansion is needed to accommodate commencement ceremonies for Texas State’s record-setting graduating classes and their families. In addition, the renovations will provide meeting spaces and a transit bus on the east side of campus.
The tuition was increased by 3.95 percent in 2016, and, in 2015, it increased by 2.75 percent. The tuition increase will be discussed and voted on Nov. 16-17 at the Board of Regents meeting at Sam Houston State University.