Despite equity concerns, ISU trustees approve 15% tuition hike for some incoming students

NORMAL (25News Now) - Illinois State University’s governing board has approved a 15% tuition hike for certain programs despite concerns that the increase will push students away from some majors, or they might give up on college.

“This is probably one of the toughest decisions that I’ve had to make as a trustee,” said Board member Julie Annette Jones who voted with the majority.

On a 5-2 vote, trustees approved the resolution raising tuition for incoming students enrolled in the College of Business, College of Engineering, cyber security, computer science, and the Mennonite School of Nursing. A degree in these programs have a high market value and are among the most expensive for the university.

In-state undergraduate students will pay $462.52 per credit hour in the selected programs, while tuition for general undergraduate programs will stay at the same at $402.19 per credit hour.

“I can tell you the amount of hours that we have spent as trustees discussing this matter amongst our peers, amongst colleagues at other universities, students, parents, administrators...This has been our life for the last few months trying to make a decision here, and it’s been a tough decision,” said Jones.

Trustees Robert Navarro and Scott Jenkins voted no, both worried about equity and making college too expensive for some students.

“First-generation students of color, students with not a lot of social capital look at the sticker price and sometimes that dissuades them from enrolling,” said Jenkins.

Trustee Jones called on the university to come up with creative ways to make college more affordable, and Academic Senate Chair Martha Horst asked for ISU to establish formal guidelines and principles in determining tuition.