Southeast Missouri State University plans to raise tuition, a move that, coupled with an expected enrollment gain, would generate more than $1 million in added revenue for the school in the next academic year.

If the Board of Regents approves the tuition hike at its May 4 meeting, tuition would be raised $4.50 a credit hour for in-state undergraduates in the 2001-2002 year and by $9 a credit hour for out-of-state undergraduates and in-state graduate students. Out-of-state graduate students would see their tuition jump by $18 a credit hour.

With the increases, tuition would range from nearly $108 a credit hour for in-state undergraduates to more than $242 a credit hour for out-of-state graduate students.

Student Government members endorsed the proposed fee hike by an 18-6 vote this week.

"No one wants to pay more money. At the same time, no one wants to see the quality of their education go down either," said student senator Ross McFerron, who voted with the majority.

The proposed fee hike doesn't sit well with fellow senator Chad Kight, who feels the university administration is dragging its feet on building a new student union.

Southeast annually raises tuition and develops outreach centers without improving campus life, Kight said. He has been a student at Southeast for three years. Students, he said, proposed in 1997 that the university renovate and expand Parker Hall for use as a student union.

"The project has not gotten anywhere," he said. At the same time, he said, the university administration is moving ahead to build a new residence hall.

School officials said the tuition hike is needed to help pay for raises for faculty and staff, campus improvements and increased operating costs.

Dr. Ivy Locke, vice president for business and finance, said the tuition hike plus $533,000 in internal reallocations would generate about $1.6 million in added revenue.

Art Wallhausen, associate to the university president, said Southeast is looking at pay raises of about 2 percent for faculty and staff.

In addition to the tuition hike, students also could be saddled with a $1-per-credit-hour fee to pay for planning for the proposed Parker Commons project. That fee would generate about $180,000 a year and would raise the total general fees to $10.70 a credit hour.

With tuition and general fees combined, in-state undergraduates at Southeast taking 12 credit hours of classes this fall would see their total bill rise by $66.

School officials said that's less than the planned fee hikes at other universities in the state. Fees at Southwest Missouri State University are projected to go up $77 for a comparable course load and by $108 at Northwest Missouri State University and $120 at Central Missouri State University.

A decade of tuition costs

A recent history of Southeast Missouri State University tuition for in-state undergraduates:

Per-credit-hour costs:

Fall 1990: $63

Fall 1995: $88

Fall 2000: $103.30

Fall 2001: $107.80 (proposed)

Source: Southeast Missouri State University