Board approves hikes in student fees at SIUE

Students attending Southern Illinois University Edwardsville should expect to spend a little more in fees next school year.

The SIU Board of Trustees approved increases Thursday in several student fees. The changes are expected to take place for fall 2016 and spring 2017 semesters, and includes an increase in housing occupancy rates, an information technology fee, textbook rental fees and an intercollegiate athletics fee.

The board approved other fee changes on Thursday supporting student welfare and activity, facilities, the Morris University Center and residential meal plans.

Doug McIlhagga, university spokesman, says student fee increases have remained consistent over the past five years. It last implemented a fee increase a year ago for the 2015-2016 school year. The changes affect incoming and returning full-time undergraduate students.

University housing rates are set to increase by 1 percent. SIUE explained Thursday in a press release that the increase will “offset inflationary cost increases, fund debt service payments and maintain adequate fund balances in housing operations.” Housing rates include all university dorm halls and apartment-style housing.

Residential students with meal plans should also expect an additional 3.1 percent fee increase per semester for dining services. The university says the rates will kick in fall 2016 and were also set to offset inflationary cost increases as well as increases in labor and food.

An information technology fee will increase by 2.7 percent from $7.35 per credit hour to $7.55, a cost of $226.50 per year for a student enrolled in two semesters of 15 credit hours each. SIUE says the IT fee helps defray the costs of supporting its campus technology resources.

Textbook rental fees are set to increase by $21 for the academic year, from $489 to $510. In recent years, SIUE says it has adopted electronic materials at the request of faculty. The fee increase supports the additional digital cost and other operating costs.

Full-time students will also be expected to pay a yearly intercollegiate athletic fee of $375.90, a 3.4 percent increase from the current rate of $363.40. The athletic fee supports operating expenses associated with an NCAA Division I sports program.

SIUE announced additional annual fees that will increase for students enrolled in 15 hours during the upcoming fall and spring semesters. A Student Welfare & Activity Fee is expected to go up from $236 to $239.20, a fee covering facilities will increase from $601.50 to $619.50 and a fee supporting the Morris University Center will increase from $343.50 to $354.

This story was originally published March 24, 2016 at 4:13 PM with the headline "Board approves hikes in student fees at SIUE."