Campus Connection

Western Board Approves Tuition, Fee Hikes at March Meeting

The Western Illinois University Board of Trustees approved tuition, fees and room and board increases for students entering the University in Summer and Fall 2006 at its March 10 meeting.

A tuition increase of 9.5 percent for new students only was approved. In 1999 Western established a University Cost Guarantee program in which students entering Western are guaranteed they will pay the same rate for tuition, fees and on-campus room and board for their four years of continuous enrollment. Western’s Cost Guarantee is the only public university program in Illinois that provides no increases in fees and room and board in addition to the Illinois statutory requirement of guaranteed four-year tuition rates. Western’s guarantee was expanded in 2004 to include graduate degree-seeking students.

A 4.93 percent increase in room and board rates (double occupancy) and a fee rate hike of 2.87 percent for incoming students was also established.

“The University’s 2006-2007 cost structure is a modest increase in our current rate structure and maintains Western’s role as a national model for cost predictability,” said President Al Goldfarb.

Undergraduate students entering Western in Summer/Fall 2006 will pay $5,439 in annual tuition, based on 15 hours per semester at $181.30 per semester hour rate. The tuition rate is $165.60 per semester hour for students who entered in Fall 2005, $151.25 per semester hour for students who entered Fall 2004 and $130.50 per semester hour for students who entered in Fall 2003. Graduate tuition for students entering in Fall 2006 will be $199.95 per semester hour compared to $182.60 for those who entered in Fall 2005.

The Board approved room and board increases for entering students of $303 for double occupancy and $362 annually for single occupancy. The student fee allocation for incoming Western-Macomb students will increase $41.40 per semester for students with a 15semester hour schedule. The student fee increase for WIU-Quad Cities students is $15.90 for students with a 15-semester hour schedule.