Northwest regents approve tuition increase

CODY THORN/DAILY FORUM
Dr. Patrick Harr, a member of the Northwest Missouri State University Board of Regents, speaks during a Thursday session during which the school’s governing panel voted unanimously to raise undergraduate tuition 2.8 percent for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Northwest Missouri State University’s Board of Regents took a small step this week toward filling some of the gaps caused by proposed state funding cuts.

During Thursday’s meeting, the board approved a 2.8 percent tuition increase that will start in the fall. It also passed small increases to room and board charges.

Graduate tuition will remain the same for the 2017-’18 school year.

“We believe we continue to offer a great value to our students, and that we are efficient in delivering quality to our students,” said Stacy Carrick, Northwest’s vice president of finance.

Spanning the past eight years, Northwest has had one of the lowest tuition increase rates in Missouri, but state budget cuts are making it difficult not to pass more costs on to students.

Senate Bill 389, which ties tuition increases to the Consumer Price Index, contains a provision that allows schools to seek a tuition waiver.

Some institutions across the state are considering just that, according to President John Jasinski, but Northwest isn’t one of them.

Following a mid-year cut in appropriations for fiscal 2017 the school estimated its allowed CPI increase at 0.7 percent, but elected not to implement it until fiscal 2018.

CPI growth for the upcoming fiscal year is figured at 2.1 percent, which would allow a total 2.8 percent tuition increase for both resident and non-resident students.

The regents passed the tuition hike 5-0 in addition to program fees for specific courses offered by Northwest’s various academic divisions: the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Agriculture Sciences, School of Business, School of Communication and Mass Media, School of Computer Science and Information Systems, School of Education, and School of Health and Science and Wellness.

The fees range between $15 to $38 depending on the school.

“We wanted to look inward first before we went to this path,” Carrick said. “It is a very common path that has been out there, but we are at the point we need to move forward with these programs.”

Jasinski said other schools in the region currently charge similar fees.

Truman State University recently passed a $50 student fee in hopes of generating $250,000 to help cover some of its budget shortfalls.

The proposed meal plan increase averages 2.6 percent, while the average increase for housing will rise 1 percent at the start of the next school year.

Based on numbers presented to the media, the average residence rate for Tower Suites, Hudson/Perrin, modified suites and traditional dorm rooms will jump about $30 next year. A five-day meal plan increases by $46, while a block plan with 75 meals per trimester increases by $9.

“The Northwest leadership and leadership groups worked hard in getting us to address not just tuition, room, board and fees, but addressing budget caps,” said Jasinski, who referenced a 7 percent cut at mid-year and a projected 9 or 10 percent cut next year.

“We are hearing we might see some release in the budget process over the next couple of months, but you are never too sure about that. What we have done, unequivocally, is to fight hard through our budget process to keep education at Northwest Missouri State accessible and affordable.”

The impact of the tuition changes, Jasinksi said, will average $195 for students. Added costs for program fees will average $350, with costs for meals and rooms going up $90 and $60 respectively.

Carrick said the tuition increase will generate $800,000, which compares to a projected $6 million budget shortfall.

One issue the regents didn’t address Thursday was who is going to belong to the board following the failure of the Missouri Senate early this year to confirm the latest round of appointees made by former Gov. Jay Nixon.

Subsequent regents must be appointed by new Gov. Eric Greitens.

Northwest regents Jerry Genochio (D-Kansas City), Matt Kitzi (D-Columbia) and Roxanna Swaney (R-Liberty) were not confirmed by the Senate before the Jan. 31 deadline and so will not take their seats on the eight-member governance-and-policy panel.

Also denied a seat due to lack of confirmation was non-voting student Regent Janay Orange.

The term of a fourth Regent, Gene Dorrel (R-Maryville), expired Jan 1, though Dorrel, who was confirmed by the Senate, has continued to serve. His status on the board after this week’s meeting is uncertain.

The situation could leave Northwest with only four sitting regents, which might mean the board would have too few members to constitute a quorum.

When a similar situation arose several years ago, the university’s legal counsel, which has since changed, declared that a four-member board could vote on some issues but not on others.