Tuition increases at University of Missouri Schools

UMKC students can expect their tuition to increase 4.8 percent starting summer 2011.

On average, students attending the four University of Missouri (UM) campuses will see tuition increase 5.5 percent, a recommendation approved 6-2 by the UM Board of Curators Friday, Jan. 28.

Students at the University of Missouri- Columbia (MU) will see tuition increase 5.8 percent, while those at the University of Missouri- St. Louis (UMSL) and Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) in Rolla will see rates increase 4.7 and 6.6 percents respectively.

The four UM schools made the recommendations and presented them to the Board.

The tuition increase is attributed to a $63 million, seven percent, funding cut Governor Jay Nixon made to higher education as part of an effort to balance the state budget

“Managing the remaining funding gap will be a major challenge for our campuses as we all work to balance the need to maintain the quality of our unique mission with our desire to provide student access to an affordable education, advance health care across the state, and invest in moving our researchers’ innovations into the marketplace to create new jobs,” interim Board of Curators President Steve Owens said.

The funding cuts will create a $42 million shortfall for the UM System, which also faces $11.3 million in efficiencies cuts, according to a Board of Curators press release.

Course fees will also increase for many UMKC students. Those attending the Henry W. Bloch School of Management will see per credit hour fees rise from $15 to $20, and those attending the School of Education will see per credit hour fees rise from $10.30 to $11.80.

School of Engineering, Studio Arts, Science Lab, Media and Communications Studies Lab, Applied Dance and Applied Music fees will also experience slight increases.

Owens added the UM system has increased enrollment by 17,000 students, while state support per student has decreased 28 percent, from $10,462 to $7,510.

With the increases, in-state undergraduate students in the UM system will pay an average of $8,903. To help students from low-income families, the university system plans to allocate 20 percent of the revenue from the tuition increases toward financial aid.

“At a time when Missouri seeks to grow its economy and depends on an educated workforce and more jobs, and America faces intensifying global competition, we urge Missourians to carefully consider the importance of investing in education, and viewing it as a solution, not as a cost,” Owens said.

For a complete list of recommendations made to the Board of Curators, visit www.umurl.us/59Ex .

nzoschke@unews.com