In less than a month, Ohio University students will likely be paying $156 more for their education.
Undergraduate tuition and fees will rise 1.5 percent, to $10,536 for in-state students for the 2014-15 academic year, if the university's Board of Trustees votes to approve the increase at its June 26-27 meeting.
Out-of-state tuition and fees will be $19,500 next year.
OU President Roderick McDavis, who will be reviewed at the meeting, informed the university in a campus-wide email at the end of April that he would be recommending the increase.
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OU has seen a tuition increase every year since the 2009-10 academic year, making this the university's fifth consecutive tuition increase.
Trustees are also likely to approve a 3.5 percent increase in residence hall rates and a 1 percent increase in dining hall costs. That increases the cost of living on campus, depending on the room, between $190 and $268 annually. Meal plan costs, depending on the plan, will rise between $36 and $60 annually.
View the Board of Trustees agenda here (page 228).
Meanwhile, Ohio State University's trustees recently froze the institution's tuition and fees for in-state students for the second year in a row at $10,037.
OU adminstrators have called OU's 1.5 percent tuition increase a commitment to student affordability, arguing they could raise tuition more. The state of Ohio has capped public university tuition increases at 2 percent.
Some critics have called that argument bogus.
"We have experienced the lies and threats from the adminstration about our options in maintianing the budget," said Megan Marzec, the 2014-15 Student Senate President, after the tuition increase was recommended in April. "No tuition raises are acceptable."
The board agenda argues that OU needs more money for academic investments and to pay for increased debt the university has taken on for capital improvements, among other projects.
Transportation is available to students and employees who would like to attend the Board meetings where the increase would be approved. Those who would like a ride to the meeting should email trustees@ohiou.edu by June 10 with the word "transportation" in the subject line, said Peter Mather, board secretary.
Mather told The Post in an email Thursday morning that, so far, one student and two staff have taken the transportation offer.
dd195710@ohiou.edu
Fast Facts:
Tuition likely to increase 1.5 percent to $10,536 for the 2014-15 academic year.
Room and board rates likely to increase 3.5 percent and 1 percent, respectively.
