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Inside Iowa State, a newspaper for faculty and staff, is published by the Office of University Relations.

November 4, 2005

Differential tuition gets first look

by John McCarroll

Iowa State is seeking larger tuition increases next year for upper division (junior and senior) engineering students and students in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Tuition proposals were presented to the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, this week for early discussion. A decision isn't expected until the board's Dec. 6 meeting in Cedar Falls. If approved, the increases would take effect for fall semester 2006.

For the second year in a row, 4 percent is the proposed increase in tuition and mandatory fees for undergraduate and graduate students (residents and non-residents) at Iowa State. Resident undergraduates would pay $226 more (total of $5,860); nonresidents would pay $630 more, or a total of $16,354, in tuition and fees.

Resident graduate students would pay an additional $718 (total of $6,585) and non-resident graduate students would pay $1,122 more next year, or a total of $17,079 in tuition and fees.

As proposed, upper division engineering students -- residents and nonresidents -- would pay the 4 percent increase, plus a supplemental increase of $500.

Veterinary students from Iowa would see a combined tuition and mandatory fee increase of $1,942 (15.3 percent) to total $14,634. For nonresidents, the tuition-fee increase would be $3,694 (11.8 percent) to total $34,972 annually.

Why varying increases?

This is the first time the board has authorized Iowa State, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa to submit differential tuition proposals for undergraduate students.

"Traditionally, tuition for all undergraduate students has been the same, regardless of their major. But the technology and facilities required in engineering makes it much more expensive to educate engineering students, compared with students in most other areas of study," said President Gregory Geoffroy.

"This tuition proposal more accurately reflects the actual costs of educating engineers, and it demonstrates that we are committed to using the additional revenue to further improve the educational programs and services for students in our College of Engineering," he said.

Engineering dean Mark Kushner already has held several open forums with engineering students to explain the requested increase. The higher tuition for juniors and seniors in engineering would help hire additional faculty (thus lowering the student-faculty ratio), replace equipment and maintain high-caliber programs.

Costs of educating veterinary students also have risen significantly while Iowa State's tuition has ranked in the bottom quarter of veterinary schools nationwide. Higher tuition would allow the college to hire additional faculty specialists and purchase much-needed equipment.

The 4 percent tuition increase reflects inflationary costs as calculated in the Higher Education Price Index. A study authorized by Congress, generally known as the Delaware Study, found that the average cost per student credit hour is $219 more for engineering students than for students in other disciplines at research universities like Iowa State.

Mandatory fees fund such things as computers, the student health service, student organizations, CyRide and recreation services. As proposed, mandatory fees for most students would increase next year by $30, or 4.1 percent. The additional dollars would support computer, health service and recreation fees and CyRide bus service. The buildings and health facilities portions of the fee would not increase. As they have in the past, engineering, computer science and management information systems students would pay higher computer fees than other students.

Other business

The board also was asked to approve:

  • A schematic design and budget ($9.5 million) to build an alumni center south of Stephens Auditorium.
  • A schematic design and budget ($48 million) for the phase I renovation (4,700 square feet) and new construction (52,000 square feet) at the Vet Med Teaching Hospital and Diagnostic Lab.
  • An additional $958,000 in the Memorial Union renovation budget, to convert the Regency Room to a 16-stall women's restroom, upgrade voice and data cable service through-out the building, and redo the "storefronts" for the copy center and a proposed ground-level store that would combine the current MU Cafe and Onion's store.

Summary

As proposed, upper division engineering students -- residents and nonresidents -- would pay the same 4 percent increase as other undergraduates, plus a supplemental increase of $500.

Quote

"This tuition proposal more accurately reflects the actual costs of educating engineers, and it demonstrates that we are committed to using the additional revenue to further improve the educational programs and services for students in our College of Engineering."

President
Gregory Geoffroy