|
February 11, 2008 |
|
2008-R-0091 |
|
History of Student Fee Increases at Connecticut’s Public Colleges and Universities |
||
|
|
||
|
By: Rute Pinhel, Research Analyst |
||
You asked for a history of student fee increases at the state’s public colleges and universities over the past 10 years and how they compare to peer institutions.
Summary
Over the past 10 years, required fees for in-state undergraduate students have increased approximately 72% at UConn, 128% at the Connecticut State University System (CSUS), and 67% at the community-technical colleges (CTCs). Distance learning course fees at Charter Oak State College have increased almost 88% in 10 years. The fee increases from 2000 to 2006 appear in line with those of the schools’ peer institutions.
Required student fees at UConn and the CSUS fund student services and activities and support debt service on residence halls, dining halls, and student parking garages. Required fees at the CTCs support student-related services and activities and may also be used to fund bookstore, food service, and child daycare operations.
OLR Report 2007-R-0042 examined tuition and fee increases at the state’s public colleges and universities from 1998 to 2007. We have attached a copy of the report for your review.
Student Fee Increases 1999-2008
For purposes of this report, we only looked at required fees for undergraduate in-state students. Each college and university has non-mandatory fees or user charges, such as application, materials, and parking fees. Unlike mandatory fees, these are not generally increased each year in response to inflationary pressures.
Table 1 shows the required fees for in-state undergraduate students at UConn, the CSUS, and the CTCs from 2000 to 2009. It also shows the annual and cumulative fee increases. The annual increase is the percentage change in fees over the previous academic year. The cumulative increase is the percentage change in fees over the base year of 2000. (Appendix A includes background information provided by the CSU system to explain the fee increases.)
Table 1: In-State Undergraduate Required Fees, 2000-2009
|
|
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
Cumulative Increase |
|
UConn (Storrs) |
$1,246 |
1,314 |
1,376 |
1,424 |
1,552 |
1,718 |
1,816 |
1,906 |
2,036 |
2,138 |
71.6% |
|
Annual Increase |
- |
5.5% |
4.7% |
3.5% |
9.0% |
10.7% |
5.7% |
5.0% |
6.8% |
5.0% |
|
|
CSUS (system average) |
$1,605 |
1,768 |
1,927 |
2,218 |
2,473 |
2,750 |
2,902 |
3,097 |
3,390 |
3,665 |
128.3% |
|
Annual Increase |
- |
10.2% |
9.0% |
15.1% |
11.5% |
11.2% |
5.5% |
6.7% |
9.5% |
8.1% |
|
|
CTCs |
$206 |
206 |
208 |
270 |
282 |
294 |
304 |
320 |
332 |
344 |
67.0% |
|
Annual Increase |
- |
0.0% |
1.0% |
29.8% |
4.4% |
4.3% |
3.4% |
5.3% |
3.8% |
3.6% |
|
Source: UConn, CSUS and CTC System Offices
Table 2 shows in-state undergraduate fees for Charter Oak State College from 2000 to 2009. Not all of the listed fees are mandatory for all undergraduate students.
Table 2: Charter Oak State College In-State Undergraduate Fees, 2000-2009
|
|
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
Cumulative Increase |
|
Bachelor Matriculation Fee |
$692 |
704 |
725 |
824 |
890 |
925 |
955 |
985 |
995 |
1,015 |
46.7% |
|
Annual % Increase |
- |
1.7% |
3.0% |
13.7% |
8.0% |
3.9% |
3.2% |
3.1% |
1.0% |
2.0% |
|
|
Matriculation Renewal Fee |
$315 |
322 |
333 |
352 |
375 |
390 |
430 |
450 |
460 |
470 |
49.2% |
|
Annual % Increase |
- |
2.2% |
3.4% |
5.7% |
6.5% |
4.0% |
10.3% |
4.7% |
2.2% |
2.2% |
|
|
Resident Distance Learning Per Credit Fee |
$99 |
103 |
107 |
125 |
140 |
145 |
160 |
165 |
177 |
186 |
87.9% |
|
Annual % Increase |
- |
4.0% |
3.9% |
16.8% |
12.0% |
3.6% |
10.3% |
3.1% |
7.3% |
5.1% |
|
Source: Charter Oak State College
Description of required student fees
UConn and the CSUS have a number of required student fees that fund numerous student services and activities. They also support debt service on residence halls, dining halls, and student parking garages.
UConn
UConn has nine mandatory fees. The general university, infrastructure maintenance, and student government fees apply to students at all UConn campuses. The other fees apply only to students at the Storrs campus.
General University Fee. This fee funds student-related programs and services, such as recreational activities, student health services, and the Jorgensen auditorium.
Infrastructure Maintenance Fee. This is used to pay debt service on new residence halls and other projects. It also supports operating and maintenance costs related to UConn 2000 projects.
Student Government Fee/Activity Fee. This fee supports student governmental activities and the student yearbook.
Student Transit Fee. The transit fee funds the campus shuttle bus service.
Student Newspaper Fee. This fee supports the student newspaper.
Student Union Fee. This fee is used to pay the cost of the student activities program administered by the Student Union Board of Governors.
Student Union Building Fee. This fee funds the financing for the student union renovation and expansion project.
WHUS Fee. This fee supports the student radio station, WHUS.
UConn TV Fee. This fee supports the university television training program.
CSUS
The CSUS has five mandatory fees. They fund various student services and debt service on auxiliary service buildings.
University Fee. The university fee is used solely for debt service on Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) bonds. CHEFA bonds finance auxiliary service buildings such as student centers, dining halls, and parking garages. CSUS students pay 100% of the debt service costs associated with CHEFA-funded projects.
University General Fee. This fee funds student services, such as student orientation, security, and health and wellness services. It also funds student accident insurance and debt service on student parking garages funded through CHEFA bonds.
Information Technology Fee. This fee funds information technology for student uses, including cyber cafes in student centers and residence halls.
Student Activity Fee and Media Fee. These fees funds student activities.
CTC System
The CTCs have two mandatory student fees that support a number of student-related services and activities.
College Services Fee. This fee supports student-related services such as cultural activities, student centers, student health services, athletic programs, and information technology. It may also be used to fund auxiliary bookstore, food service, and child daycare operations to enhance these student services.
Student Activity Fee. This fee funds student clubs, cultural and social activities, and other uses approved by the student government at each college.
tuition and fee increases for 2008-2009
The Board of Governors of Higher Education annually reviews and make recommendations on tuition and fees for all of the higher education constituent units. Most recently, it approved increases for the 2008-2009 academic year. Table 1 shows the total current tuition and required fees for full-time undergraduate, in-state students at each of the constituent units. The 2008-2009 increases range from 1.9% for first year bachelor’s degree students at Charter Oak State College to 6.6% for undergraduate commuters at the Connecticut State Universities.
Table 3: Annual Cost of Tuition and Required Fees for Full-Time, Undergraduate, In-State Students
|
|
|
|
|
Annual Increase 2008-2009 |
|
|
|
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
$ |
% |
|
University of Connecticut |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Undergraduate Commuter |
$8,362 |
$8,852 |
$9,338 |
$486 |
5.5% |
|
Undergraduate Resident |
16,628 |
17,702 |
18,842 |
1,140 |
6.4% |
|
Connecticut State University |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Undergraduate Commuter |
6,284 |
6,736 |
7,179 |
443 |
6.6% |
|
Undergraduate Resident |
14,278 |
15,189 |
16,158 |
969 |
6.4% |
|
Community-Tech College System |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Undergraduate Commuter |
2,672 |
2,828 |
2,984 |
156 |
5.5% |
|
Charter Oak State College |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Associate’s Degree Student |
920 |
955 |
980 |
25 |
2.6% |
|
Bachelor’s Degree Student (Yr 1) |
1,045 |
1,070 |
1,090 |
20 |
1.9% |
|
Bachelor’s Degree (after Yr 1) |
635 |
655 |
675 |
20 |
3.1% |
Source: Board of Governors January 16, 2008 Meeting Agenda
Peer Institutions 2000-2006
The Department of Higher Education (DHE) identifies peer institutions for each of the constituent units in its annual accountability reports. We used the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), provided by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, to obtain student fee data for the peer institutions. IPEDS data are available for the 2000 to 2006 academic years.
The following tables compare the required student fees for full-time in-state undergraduates at UConn, the CSUs, and the community colleges to those of their respective groups of peer institutions. We were unable to locate historical fee data for Charter Oak’s peer institutions. Table 4 includes all of UConn’s peer institutions, while Tables 5 and 6 include a sample of the CSUS and CTC peer institutions.
The institutions are ranked according to the cumulative increase in fees from 2000 to 2006. The fee increases at the three constituent units appear in line with those of their peer institutions.
Table 4: UConn Peer Group Comparison of Required Fees for Full-Time, Undergraduate, In-State Students 2000-2006
|
|
2000-2001 |
2001-2002 |
2002-2003 |
2003-2004 |
2004-2005 |
2005-2006 |
2006-2007 |
Cumulative Increase |
|
Purdue University-Main Campus |
$320 |
334 |
352 |
362 |
130 |
138 |
396 |
23.8% |
|
University of Georgia |
$770 |
786 |
826 |
870 |
904 |
990 |
1,072 |
39.2% |
|
Rutgers University-New Brunswick/Piscataway |
$1,333 |
1,404 |
1,538 |
1,637 |
1,771 |
1,885 |
2,035 |
44.9% |
|
University of Connecticut |
$1,314 |
1,376 |
1,424 |
1,540 |
1,718 |
1,816 |
1,906 |
45.1% |
|
University of Missouri-Columbia |
$622 |
642 |
950 |
720 |
824 |
898 |
944 |
51.8% |
|
Ohio State University-Main Campus |
$378 |
378 |
387 |
423 |
465 |
573 |
684 |
81.0% |
|
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities |
$477 |
684 |
860 |
1,154 |
1,352 |
1,482 |
1,585 |
232.3% |
|
Iowa State University |
$226 |
326 |
418 |
686 |
724 |
744 |
774 |
242.5% |
|
University of Iowa |
$298 |
406 |
499 |
651 |
694 |
722 |
1,025 |
244.0% |
Table 5: CSUS Peer Group Comparison of Required Fees for Full-Time, Undergraduate, In-State Students 2000-2006
|
|
2000-2001 |
2001-2002 |
2002-2003 |
2003-2004 |
2004-2005 |
2005-2006 |
2006-2007 |
Cumulative Increase |
|
North Carolina A & T State University |
$957 |
1,017 |
1,094 |
1,178 |
1,297 |
1,345 |
1,420 |
48.4% |
|
SUNY College at Plattsburgh |
$665 |
665 |
829 |
829 |
850 |
918 |
987 |
48.4% |
|
Frostburg State University |
$805 |
812 |
986 |
1,026 |
1,110 |
1,230 |
1,392 |
72.9% |
|
California State University-Dominguez Hills |
$1,735 |
1,825 |
1,845 |
2,483 |
2,771 |
2,991 |
3,011 |
73.5% |
|
Connecticut State Universities |
$1,768 |
1,927 |
2,218 |
2,473 |
2,750 |
2,902 |
3,097 |
75.2% |
|
Indiana University-South Bend |
$222 |
222 |
240 |
240 |
390 |
406 |
406 |
82.9% |
|
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville |
$619 |
717 |
739 |
823 |
839 |
859 |
1,180 |
90.6% |
|
Montclair State University |
$1,091 |
1,286 |
1,402 |
1,622 |
1,858 |
2,128 |
2,376 |
117.8% |
|
William Paterson University of New Jersey |
$1,596 |
1,862 |
2,182 |
2,527 |
2,991 |
3,382 |
3,640 |
128.1% |
|
Framingham State College |
$1,800 |
1,800 |
2,364 |
2,364 |
3,354 |
3,684 |
4,479 |
148.8% |
|
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth |
$2,712 |
2,712 |
3,712 |
4,712 |
6,385 |
6,619 |
6,892 |
154.1% |
|
Bridgewater State College |
$1,924 |
1,913 |
2,825 |
3,480 |
4,386 |
4,596 |
4,956 |
157.6% |
|
Kean University |
$1,071 |
1,371 |
1,760 |
2,275 |
2,486 |
2,609 |
2,793 |
160.8% |
|
Worcester State College |
$1,478 |
1,478 |
2,303 |
2,303 |
3,153 |
3,609 |
4,569 |
209.1% |
Table 6: CTCs Peer Group Comparison of Required Fees for Full-Time, Undergraduate, In-State Students 2000-2006
|
|
2000-2001 |
2001-2002 |
2002-2003 |
2003-2004 |
2004-2005 |
2005-2006 |
2006-2007 |
Cumulative Increase |
|
Frederick Community College |
$240 |
248 |
225 |
271 |
278 |
284 |
293 |
22.1% |
|
Holyoke Community College |
$76 |
96 |
96 |
96 |
98 |
98 |
98 |
28.9% |
|
Hagerstown Community College |
$210 |
220 |
220 |
220 |
280 |
280 |
280 |
33.3% |
|
Kansas City Kansas Community College |
$196 |
224 |
224 |
252 |
280 |
280 |
280 |
42.9% |
|
Edison State Community College |
$330 |
420 |
480 |
480 |
480 |
480 |
480 |
45.5% |
|
Cecil Community College |
$200 |
240 |
240 |
240 |
270 |
270 |
300 |
50.0% |
|
CTCs |
$206 |
208 |
270 |
282 |
294 |
304 |
320 |
55.3% |
|
Ivy Tech Community College-Northwest |
$0 |
0 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
70 |
80 |
60.0% |
|
Delaware Technical and Community College-Stanton-Wilmington |
$183 |
216 |
222 |
240 |
240 |
284 |
294 |
60.7% |
|
Bunker Hill Community College |
$984 |
1,044 |
1,344 |
1,824 |
1,824 |
1,824 |
1,824 |
85.4% |
|
Cumberland County College |
$420 |
420 |
465 |
510 |
570 |
750 |
810 |
92.9% |
|
Bay de Noc Community College |
$96 |
102 |
152 |
152 |
184 |
179 |
192 |
100.0% |
|
Passaic County Community College |
$285 |
285 |
402 |
402 |
525 |
558 |
617 |
116.5% |
|
Raritan Valley Community College |
$390 |
470 |
500 |
500 |
670 |
820 |
850 |
117.9% |
|
Bishop State Community College |
$240 |
480 |
480 |
480 |
570 |
570 |
570 |
137.5% |
|
College of the Albemarle |
$28 |
38 |
38 |
70 |
70 |
70 |
70 |
150.0% |
|
Tri-County Community College |
$21 |
21 |
25 |
59 |
59 |
59 |
59 |
181.0% |
|
Blue Ridge Community College |
$15 |
15 |
29 |
69 |
70 |
70 |
72 |
380.0% |
RP:dw/ts