Illinois State University’s Board of Trustees approved tuition, fees, and room and board rates for new freshman, transfer, and graduate students for the 2016-17 academic year.
New undergraduate, full-time students from Illinois will pay $370.25 per credit hour in tuition for the 2016-17 academic year. That rate is $10.78 more per credit hour, or 3.0 percent, than was charged last year. New students this fall will continue to pay this rate through summer of 2020.
Illinois State includes its mandatory fees in the four-year guarantee, assuring students and parents that fee rates will not change from year to year. The mandatory fees for the 2016-17 academic year for full-time, new students will be $81.84 per credit hour, an increase of $2.38, or 3.0 percent, per credit hour from last year. The increase will be used for operational costs, to provide for debt service, and to meet repair and replacement reserve requirements.
Residence hall rates depend on the type of room (multiple occupancy, single or super single), with rates increasing by 1.0 percent for the 2016-17 academic year. Students will pay $2,667 for a multiple occupancy room, $3,601for a multiple occupancy room in a suite, $3,547 for a single room, $4,080 for a super single, $4,134 for a single in a suite, and $4,560 for a super single in a suite.
Dining rates will increase by 1.0 percent for the 2016-17 academic year. A residential plan that includes seven days of unlimited meals will cost $2,258, or five days of unlimited meals will cost $2,148. A traditional plan of 19 meals per week will cost $2,307, or 14 meals per week will cost $2,180.
New out-of-state, full-time undergraduate students will pay $740.50 per credit hour for the 2016-17 academic year. That rate is a 19.4 percent increase per credit hour from the 2015-16 academic year. The increase represents a more market appropriate rate when compared to other Illinois public universities. That rate will continue through the summer of 2020.
In-state tuition for graduate students in the 2016-17 academic year will be $389 per credit hour. That rate is a $15, or a 4.0 percent, increase over the previous year. Out-of-state graduate students will pay $808 per credit hour, a $31, or 4.0 percent, increase over the previous year.
Transit contract, e-commerce services
The Board of Trustees authorized University officials to expend funds from tentative budget allocations until the Board approves an FY2017 operating budget. FY2017 state appropriations are not yet known and the Board of Trustees must therefore defer final approval of an FY2017 operating budget. The action allows the University to meet its FY2017 financial obligations beginning July 1.
The Board of Trustees approved an agreement with Connect Transit to provide bus transportation services. Faculty, staff, and students who present their ISU Redbird Card can ride free of charge on any Connect Transit route. Monthly payments are made by the University to Connect Transit to cover the cost. The Board approved a payment of $532,000 for FY2017. Funding for the transit contract comes from student fee revenues.
Board members also authorized the University to contract with an outside vendor to provide e-commerce services. Illinois State has solicited competitive bids from vendors to provide services for integrated student billing, secure payment transmission, and online e-commerce transactions. The Board approved $1.2 million for a contract with the successful vendor that would run through June 30, 2021. Money for the contract comes from general revenue operating funds.
