Regents approve $22 per semester credit hour tuition increase

In a special meeting March 26, the UNT System Board of Regents approved a board designated tuition increase from the current $53 per semester credit hour rate to $75 per semester credit hour for the 2004-05 academic year.

According to UNT Chancellor Lee Jackson, the board designated tuition rate will be the primary source of revenue for UNT and other Texas universities to reach individual and state goals for improved student access and success, academic excellence and research.

UNT's goals are to maintain and improve the quality of service to students, address enrollment growth-related costs and maintain competitive faculty and staff salaries, Jackson says.

The new board designated tuition will be combined with state mandated tuition – which will increase from the current $46 per semester credit hour to $48 per semester credit hour next year.

Phil Diebel, vice chancellor for finance and vice president for finance and business affairs, says the increase will generate more than $16 million in additional funds, including $3.2 million to be set aside for additional financial aid.

In the same action it took to raise tuition, the board eliminated the university's $20 per semester Student Records fee and $3 per semester Student ID fee. Diebel reports those subtractions will reduce available income by approximately $1.7 million and, added to the tuition increase, will provide a net amount of $11.1 million for support of all other important university services.

In other actions, the regents voted to increase the Student Union fee by $1 per semester (from $42 to $43), raise the Student Medical Services fee by $3.60 per semester (from $36.30 to $39.90) and increase the Student Service fee by $1 per semester credit hour (from $13 to $14).

Finally, the board authorized an increase of 6 percent for residence hall rates and 3 percent for meal plan rates. These increases will be used to cover anticipated cost increases in debt retirement, salaries, maintenance, utilities and other operating expenses.

BY RODDY WOLPER rwolper@unt.edu

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• About the commencement speaker
• Phi Kappa Sigma house residents to spend remainder of semester in residence hall
• Prizes up for grabs for survey participation
• State Rep. Myra Crownover to speak at TAMS graduation
• National Public Broadcasting System chief operating officer to speak at April 29 lunch
• TAMS student wins Goldwater Scholarship
• Professorships to honor two Texas educators

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