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Shepherd Submits Tuition Hike: State Deadline for University Changes Still Weeks Away

Posted on: Tuesday, 14 March 2006, 09:00 CST

By Anna L. Mallory, The Charleston Gazette, W.Va.

Mar. 14--While officials at Shepherd University already know they want to raise tuition and fees next year, other colleges around the state are waiting to make the decision until they can get a better financial picture.

Shepherd's Board of Governors approved a 7.5 percent hike in fees for next year, weeks before the deadline when colleges have to submit changes to the Higher Education Policy Commission.

The commission has asked all schools to turn in their tuition plans in the next couple of weeks. The group meets April 21, but is expected to approve the changes in May during a special meeting.

The state's budget is expected to be finalized in the coming week.

Ed Magee, vice president for administration and finances at Shepherd, said the main need for that college's jump is money lost from the division of the school's community and technical college last year. That's something the school has been looking at for more than a year, he said.

Legislation in 2004 called for the creation of separate entities. The community college, which will be named Blue Ridge Community and Technical College thanks to legislation passed last week, now is in Martinsburg. The university, which has about 3,300 students, is in Shepherdstown.

Magee said the college had close to a $2 million loss after the split. A 9.5 percent increase in fees last year helped make up for some of the loss, but the expected increases should help even more.

Magee said officials hope the increases will create about $600,000 to fill in the hole left from the college's split. He also said rising utility and gasoline costs are major needs at the school.

He said the college wanted to request its fee changes early for students.

"It's important for our incoming students to know what to expect," Magee said. "If we don't give them adequate information, they'll go somewhere else."

The college has about 3,300 students.

If the 7.5 percent change is not approved, Magee said the school would need to start cutting. One major cut would mean teachers would lose an expected pay raise.

Officials have not decided where to tack on the 7.5 percent increase. Magee said those figures would be sent the HEPC soon. However, a 5 percent increase on all residence halls has been determined. Housing is not subject to the 9.5 percent cap.

Room rent will be used toward paying the added utility and renovation costs, Magee said.

Officials at the state's largest schools, Marshall and West Virginia University, said they would wait to find out their allocations from the state.

A spokeswoman for WVU said she doesn't expect the increase to be higher than last year's 5.7 percent for in-state students.

To contact staff writer Anna L. Mallory, use e-mail or call 348-5163.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Charleston Gazette, W.Va.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Charleston Gazette

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