University News
BOT Approves All Costs Increase
June 4, 2010
MACOMB/MOLINE, IL -- The Western Illinois University Board of Trustees approved a 6.2 percent increase in all costs (tuition, fees and room and board) for undergraduate and graduate students entering the University in Fall 2010 at the board's meeting today (June 4) at the WIU-Quad Cities 60th Street Campus. Last year's all cost increase was 7.2 percent.
Undergraduate students entering Western in Fall 2010 will be charged $7,219.50 in annual tuition, based on 15 hours per semester at a $240.65 per semester hour rate ($14.69 more than the Fall 2009 tuition rate of $225.96 per semester hour). The tuition rate is $215.20 per semester hour for students who entered in Fall 2008 and $196.50 per semester hour for students who entered in Fall 2007. Graduate tuition for students entering in Fall 2010 will be $6,369.60 based on 24 semester credit hours per year ($265.40 per credit hours compared to $249. 21 in Fall 2009).
Yearly room and board increases for entering students will be $496 more per year for double occupancy ($8,138 compared to $7,642 for Fall 2009) and $653 more per year for single occupancy ($10,369 compared to $9,716 for Fall 2009). Fees for incoming Western-Macomb students will increase by $91.50 per year for students with a 15-hour schedule per semester ($2,270.10 per year in Fall 2010, compared to $2,178.60 per year in Fall 2009 and $1,816.50 in Fall 2008). The fee schedule for new WIU-Quad Cities students with a 15-hour schedule per semester will remain the same as the Fall 2009 fees of $534.90. In addition, the Board agreed to extend in-state tuition rates to students from Indiana. In-state rates are currently extended to students from Iowa, Wisconsin and Missouri.
"The 6.2 percent increase in all costs for undergraduate students equates to 1.5 percent per year. It was our goal, as it is each year when we review all costs, to keep an increase as low as possible to maintain Western's tradition of access and affordability. Western is one of the most affordable institutions in the state of Illinois, while providing quality academic programs," said WIU President Al Goldfarb. "And we remain the only university in the state to include room and board in our cost guarantee. Students entering Western this fall will not face another cost increase in tuition, fees or room and board during their continuous enrollment at WIU."
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 Illinois also offers the Cost Guarantee to graduate students enrolled in a degree program, as well as to transfer students earning an associate's degree. Those students who transfer to WIU the following semester upon completing their associate's degree will receive the previous year's cost guarantee rates.
In addition, the board approved no increase for the student health insurance fee for 2010-11, keeping the health insurance fee at last year's rate of $659.28 per year. The board also approved a resolution to borrow funds or establish a line of credit allowing universities to borrow money to pay salaries and other expenses should the cash flow situation require such borrowing; and approved the University's FY'11 spending plan.
Western's board also approved a resolution for residence hall projects (renovation of Corbin and Olson halls) and authorized the financing through issuing Auxiliary Facility Revenue Bonds. In addition, the board approved expenditures of $500,000 or more, including a new five-year transit system contract (Beck Bus Transportation Corp., Mt. Vernon, IL - $3.6 million); repairs for the Union entryway and installation of an elevator for Heritage Room access (Leander Construction Co., Canton, IL general contractor - $757,716); the replacement of the roof and air handling units at the South Quad Dining Center (Leander Construction Co., Canton, IL general contractor - $479,295); and a contract for underwriter services.
The Board approved a five-year collective bargaining agreement with the University Professionals of Illinois (UPI) Western Illinois University Chapter. The agreement was recently ratified by the Union representing approximately 800 faculty and academic support staff. The UPI agreed to no basic salary increase for FY'11 as part of the new contract; however, effective July 1, 2011 for 12-month employees or Aug. 1 for faculty, a salary increase of 1 percent of employees' 2010-11 salary will be granted for each eligible employee in the bargaining unit in 2011-2012. For fiscal years 2013, 2014 and 2015, salary increases of 2.5 percent, 3.5 percent and 4 percent, respectively, have been set. In addition, as part of the contract, the University agreed that involuntary furloughs will not be activated during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 academic years.
In other business, the board also approved positive tenure recommendations for 22 faculty members; the annual performance assessment report for President Al Goldfarb; the institutional self-study for reaccreditation; and elected officers for the 2010-2011 year.
The WIU Board of Trustees will hold a retreat July 16 at Horn Field Campus in Macomb. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held Sept. 24 on the WIU-Macomb campus.
Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing
Connect with us: