Miami University

Miami sets tuition

04/23/2003

Miami University's board of trustees today (April 23) voted unanimously to approve tuition increases effective this summer and in a separate unanimous vote to adopt a new tuition model that makes Miami the nation's first public university to adopt a single tuition for in-state and out-of-state students.

Annual tuition and fees on the Oxford campus for in-state students will increase next year by $753 - from $7,600 to $8,353 - a 9.9 percent increase. The cost for out-of-state students will go up by $1,779 -from $16,324 to $18,103, a 10.9 percent increase.

Miami, which has suffered a 12 percent decline in state support in the past two years, is the fifth state university to announce increases. Other schools that have announced increases in the 9.5-9.9 percent range starting summer 2003 include Akron, Cleveland State, Ohio University and Youngstown State.

Trustees also set tuition for the Hamilton and Middletown regional campuses. Tuition for full-time regional campus lower division undergraduates (those with up to 68 Miami credit hours) will go from $3,300 to $3,498 - a $198 or 6 percent increase. Tuition for full-time upper division undergraduates (those who have earned 68 or more Miami credit hours) will go from $4,872 to $5310 - a $438 or 9 percent increase.

Miami Hamilton and Miami Middletown have the second lowest tuition among Ohio’s 23 regional campuses in 2002-2003 and are expected to remain among the least expensive campuses in 2003-2004, said university officials.

Roger Howe, chair of the board of trustees, called the new tuition model being implemented on the Oxford campus “groundbreaking” and said it will be of enormous benefit to Miami, its students and Ohio.

“Innovation is always risky, but doing nothing except to maintain the status quo is even riskier because it is an invitation to mediocrity,” he said.

The tuition restructuring plan will not have a financial impact on currently enrolled students or those admitted for fall 2003.

Other than “paper changes” on their invoices, these students would not be affected throughout their Miami careers. In-state and out-of-state students would both be billed $18,103, but Ohio students would receive scholarships totaling $9,750 to bring their cost back down to $8,353.

However, starting with students admitted in fall 2004, all Oxford campus students will be charged the out-of-state rate and the special scholarships will vary. Larger scholarships will go to students who come from moderate-income families, show high ability or plan to major in areas of high state need.

All Ohio students would be guaranteed an Ohio Resident Scholarship of $5,000, which is greater than the annual per-student funding provided by the state of Ohio (currently about $4,400). In addition, in-state students would compete for Ohio Leader Scholarships.

The goal is to make a Miami education affordable to middle- and low-income families by creating a tuition plan that provides flexibility in offering scholarships to top in-state students, said Miami President James C. Garland.

In other action, trustees:

• Approved awarding the appointment of Distinguished Professor effective with the 2003-2004 academic year to Dr. Marcia Baxter Magolda, educational leadership, and Richard E. Lee Jr., zoology.

• Authorized awarding contracts for an $11.5 million high voltage electric distribution project and authorized awarding contracts for the installation of artificial turf at Yager Field. The project, estimated to cost $1.4 million, is contingent upon receiving donations or written pledges.

• Approved various capital improvement projects, including the King Library Phase III renovation, the Middletown Student and Community Center, Presser Hall renovation, Yager Stadium east stands and lighting project, Martin Dining Hall rehabilitation, the Southwest Campus Parking Structure and a co-generation facility project.