FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

REGENTS APPROVE NEW FEE SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2003

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., June 27, 2003 - The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents today approved a new incidental and general fee schedule to take effect with the fall 2003 semester.

Under the approved plan, incidental fees will increase $17 per credit hour for Missouri undergraduates, representing a 13.6 percent increase; $34 per credit hour for non-resident undergraduates, representing a 15 percent increase; $20.40 per credit hour for Missouri graduate students, representing a 13.7 percent increase; and $40.80 per credit hour for non-resident graduate students, representing a 15 percent increase.

The new per credit hour rates will be $141.80 for resident undergraduates; $261.30 for non-resident undergraduates; $169.20 for resident graduate students; and $313.10 for non-resident graduate students. These rates include a $6 per credit hour surcharge enacted last school year, which is being retained for the upcoming year.

The Board also approved a $1 increase in general fees for students beginning with the fall 2003 semester, bringing the general fee to $10.70 per credit hour. University officials say the increase will be used to establish a South Campus Recreation Center on the First Baptist Church property. The church recently announced that it has accepted the Foundation's offer to purchase the church property.

Based on the new incidental and general student fee increases, including the $6 per credit hour surcharge enacted last year, total required fees per credit hour will be $158.50 for Missouri undergraduates; $278 for non-resident undergraduates; $185.90 for Missouri graduate students; and $329.80 for non-resident graduate students.

Dr. Ivy Locke, vice president for finance, told the Board that a $3.1 million decrease in the University's state appropriation is equivalent to a $17 per credit hour incidental fee increase, and an increase is necessary to help offset that loss. Nonetheless, she added, Southeast is committed to minimizing fee increases. She said that in making a 12 credit hour fee comparison between Southeast and its peer institutions for the 2003-2004 year, including all surcharges and fees, Southeast fees are less than the University of Missouri-Columbia, Truman State, Northwest Missouri State and Southwest Missouri State and slightly more than Lincoln University.

In related action, the Board approved a three-year plan for increasing the textbook rental fee. Under the approved plan, the rental fee will increase by $1.50 beginning in fall 2003, $1.25 in fall 2004 and another $1 in fall 2005.

Locke said the increases are necessary as the textbook rental fee has remained at $14 for the past six years.

"Since that time," she said, "the cumulative national average of textbook prices has increased 26.8 percent resulting in an average new textbook cost of $56.04."

She said the University suspended the purchase of new textbooks in FY03 to avoid imposing textbook rental fee increases on students due to the increase in other fees.

"But to maintain academic standards, a large number of textbook purchases will be required in FY04," she said. "To prevent the textbook rental system from falling into deficit due to the increasing number of new textbooks needed and associated textbook costs, the textbook rental fee should be increased."

University officials say very few universities have textbook rental systems, and students at most institutions must buy their textbooks at retail prices. The rental system is an auxiliary enterprise and must be financially self-sufficient because it receives no funds from state appropriations or incidental fees.

"The Textbook Rental system is a financial incentive for undergraduate students to attend Southeast and represents a 'scholarship' for every student," Locke said.

In other action, the Board approved an increase in the charge for additional requested transcripts from $3 to $5. Dr. Dennis Holt, vice president for administration and enrollment management, said students are entitled to one free copy of their official transcript. Southeast instituted the $3 charge per additional copy in 1990. Since that time, postage rates have increased, and Southeast is in the low range of transcript charges for comparative institutions. An increase from $3 to $5 would produce an estimated increase in revenue between $28,000 and $32,000 to offset increased operational costs, Holt said.

In addition to the increase in the charge for additional requested transcripts, the Board also implemented a $25 Alternative Certification service charge to take effect with the fall 2003 semester. The charge will cover the cost of evaluating transcripts of applicants seeking admission to the Alternative Certification program in the College of Education, which has grown substantially since it was launched in 1991.