Ohio State 2002-03 tuition maintains affordability

COLUMBUS -- The Ohio State University Board of Trustees on Friday (6/7) approved 2002-03 graduate and professional student tuition and fees, completing a tuition package that maintains the university’s affordability, especially when compared with other public institutions in Ohio.

“The tuition structure we are implementing for next academic year is essential to continue our efforts to improve the quality of the student experience through the improvement of support services and the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty and staff,” said Executive Vice President and Provost Edward J. Ray. “Despite the considerable attention focused on our tuition increases in recent months, it is worth noting that our undergraduate fees continue to compare well in the state – ranking eighth among the 13 public universities for new students and ninth for continuing undergraduates.

“In this very challenging fiscal environment, we have made every effort to balance what we are asking of our students with our efforts to provide them with need-based aid and with our own internal budget reallocations and pursuit of other funding sources, while meeting our commitment to provide a more competitive compensation package for faculty and staff in keeping with the university’s Academic Plan.”

Instructional fees for all graduate and professional programs will increase by a base of 5 percent, and nonresident surcharges will also increase 5 percent. Resident graduate instructional and general fees will increase $306 per year, to $6,612; fees for nonresident graduate students will increase $810 per year. Differential – above the base – fee increases to fund improved student services inside and outside the classroom have been approved for some professional programs. The total professional fee increases average 12.6 percent for 12 programs offered in seven colleges. All graduate and professional fee increases will become effective autumn quarter. The previously approved increases to undergraduate tuition will go into effect for summer quarter.

The board also approved increases in some non-instructional fees for Ohio State students. The total cost for an in-state undergraduate to attend the Columbus campus and live in university housing will increase by about $838 for the academic year, or 6.6 percent, to an estimated $13,560 for a continuing student, and approximately $1,312, or 10.3 percent, to an estimated $14,034 for a new student.

The annual figures take into account an average 4.7 percent increase for room and board, an estimated 5 percent increase for textbooks and supplies, an 8 percent increase for health insurance, a 10.1 percent increase for parking on the central Columbus campus and a COTA bus pass, and a 5 percent increase in tickets to some athletic events. The total costs also reflect the previously approved two-tiered undergraduate tuition structure’s increases of 9 percent for continuing resident students and 19 percent for new in-state students.

Administrators recommending the fees to trustees noted that Ohio State’s undergraduate tuition of $5,190 for in-state continuing students next year will be 8.5 percent below the state average of $5,668, dropping to ninth among the 13 public universities in Ohio. OSU’s new-student tuition of $5,664 is eighth in Ohio, and is 2.8 percent below the state average tuition for new students of $5,830. Last autumn, Ohio State’s undergraduate fees were 4.2 percent below the state average.

In addition, officials said seven of the 13 state universities implemented mid-year undergraduate fee increases this fiscal year (Ohio State did not), and seven will implement a two-tiered tuition structure for undergraduates next fiscal year. Ohio State’s 9 percent increase ranks 12th among the state schools in tuition percentage increases for continuing students; the state average is 14 percent. The 19 percent increase for new students at Ohio State ranks sixth in the state; the average for the 13 public universities is 17.3 percent.

Officials also have analyzed tuition and fees at other major public research institutions that serve as Ohio State’s benchmarks for comparison. Ohio State’s state support per full-time-equivalent (FTE) student is $615 (6.3 percent) lower than the benchmark institutions’ average, and in-state fees are $158 (3.2 percent) lower than the benchmark average. Revenues per FTE student are 18 percent less than the benchmark average.

“While we compete effectively with our aspirational peer institutions with respect to academic quality, we do so with fewer resources than our benchmarks in state support, tuition and total revenues per student. Relatively low levels of state support in particular leave us increasingly at risk of falling behind in providing students with a truly outstanding education,” said William J. Shkurti, senior vice president for business and finance.

Finally, the board approved continuing – but not increasing – learning technology fees for students in the colleges of the Arts, Business, Engineering and Nursing, the Department of Computer and Information Science, and the School of Public Policy and Management.

Shkurti reminded trustees that some faculty and staff fees also will increase next year: Parking costs will go up by 10 percent, and employees will see increases of between 4 percent and 19 percent in their share of health insurance premiums, based on the plan in which they are enrolled.

Third quarter budget report

Shkurti also presented a third-quarter budget report indicating that higher-than-expected spring quarter enrollment produced $1.3 million in revenues after the accompanying increased student financial aid was taken into consideration. Such unanticipated General Funds revenues will be used to offset the $28 million reduction in state support resulting from the 6 percent cut this fiscal year, Shkurti said. Over the course of the academic year’s four quarters, enrollment was 2.1 percent higher than projected for the fiscal year.

Sponsored research programs at the university have produced higher indirect cost recoveries than projected, as well, Shkurti said. These revenues are committed to investment in the research infrastructure and, under an upcoming new budget structure, to possible distribution to colleges generating the research funding.

Shkurti also reported that the University Health System finances have improved, showing a $1.96 million deficit for the first nine months of the year compared to a deficit of $8.97 million at the same time last year. The system is projecting revenues for the entire fiscal year to exceed expenses by $2.8 million. The Department of Athletics is meeting financial targets but will continue to be monitored, he said.