Tuition rate to be decided soon
Eastern will not announce whether the cost of tuition will increase for the fall 2003 semester until after the budget is approved May 31 by the legislature.
Western Illinois University didn’t wait so long, announcing a 13 percent increase Monday for next fall. Northeastern has approved a 5.2 percent increase, and Southern Illinois University Carbondale a 16 percent increase.
Northern Illinois University and Illinois State University will discuss tuition this month.
Eastern’s tuition increase could total $1.8 million, according to figures from the Bureau of the Budget. The number takes into consideration the possibility of 5 percent cap on any increase.
Western has a cost guarantee program, which ensures students will have the same tuition costs all four years, said John Maguire, vice president for university relations. So even with the 13 percent increase, students already enrolled at Western will pay a lower cost.
The cost guarantee program has been in place already for four years.
“We don’t anticipate any change in the enrollment trend,” Maguire said.
Western’s student enrollment has been respectively growing, he said. An advantage students will have is a predicable cost for all four years.
Sue Davis, spokeswoman for Southern Illinois University Carbondale, said Southern does not think the 16 percent tuition increase will affect enrollment.
“It still leaves us one of the most affordable institutions in Illinois,” Davis said.
Southern sets the cost of two years of the student’s tuition and fees in advance and sets projections for two years, Davis said.
For example, tuition for fall 2002 and fall 2003 was set last year and Southern now has projections for fall 2004 and fall 2005.
Davis said the set tuition and projections allow Southern to put together financial plans in advance.
“We think predictability is very important to allow families with students to plan,” she said.
Currently, tuition and fees for a student attending 12 or more hours at Eastern during the fall 2002 and spring 2003 semesters for in-state residents was $108.45 per semester hour plus $697 fees per semester.
Tuition rate to be decided soon
Eastern will not announce whether the cost of tuition will increase for the fall 2003 semester until after the budget is approved May 31 by the legislature.
