Tuition and fees will jump 5 percent for resident students at the University of Idaho next year, and 8 percent for nonresident students.
The state Board of Education on Wednesday agreed on increases for all four of Idaho’s four-year higher education institutions. Board members say while they have a duty to keep costs as low as possible for students, it’s their responsibility to strike a balance between that duty and the need to provide the resources that the institutions need to accomplish their missions.
Students at Lewis-Clark State College will pay 4.5 percent more in tuition and fees next year, whether they’re in-state or out-of-state students. The board also approved 5 percent increases for resident students at Boise State University, with a matching 5 percent hike for out-of-state students. At Idaho State University, the increase was set at 3.5 percent for in-state students, and 5 percent for nonresidents.
The board cited two main drivers for the moves – increased costs, and employee pay raises.
State lawmakers this year approved 3 percent merit-based pay increases for state employees.
No additional state general funds were allocated to help each university cover that increased cost, though school leaders have long warned that state-approved pay raises prompt tuition increases. (Spokesman-Review)
