ALLENDALE, MI - Grand Valley State University raised tuition 3.98 percent for in-state undergraduates for the 2018-19 academic year Friday, July 13.
Students will pay $490 more per year. Tuition will increase for resident undergraduates from $11,994 to $12,484 this fall for the most common lower division rate, and from $12,618 to 13,108 for the upper division.
The Board of Trustees voted 6 to 2 for the increase. Board members Kate Pew Wolters and David Hooker opposed the increase over college affordability concerns. Both said they could have supported a hike in the 3 to 3.5 percent range.
"This is a tough one that we face every year and for some reason it felt tougher for me this year,'' said Wolters, who said she just couldn't get comfortable with the rate.
"It is so critical that in addition to maintaining a quality education that we maintain an affordable education.''
The net increase in total tuition revenue is expected to be approximately $6.8 million, based on the new tuition rates and a projected small decrease in total enrollment. Last fall, total enrollment was 25,049.
The tuition increase is lower than the 4.11 percent for 2017-18.
The $351.9 million general fund budget for 2018-19 does include a $5.1 million or 11 percent increase in financial aid for a total of $52 million.
Gregory Sanial, vice president for finance, said GVSU receives 18 percent of its operating revenue from the state appropriations but faces mandated price controls to cover the remaining 82 percent of operating revenue.
"I like to think that the fact that Grand Valley State educates 8.8 percent of the students in Michigan public universities and receives only 4.9 percent in higher education appropriations highlights the overall challenge we face in an increasingly uneven playing field among our peers,'' he said.
Hooker said he is disappointed by the way Michigan allocates higher education funding. He said they need to educate lawmakers on the challenges and continue to add to their scholarship and financial aid offerings.
Sanial said the student loan default rate is 4 percent, below the national and state averages of 7 and 6 percent, respectively.
"I share the boards repeated concerns about keeping higher education affordable,'' he said, noting the university still has the fourth lowest tuition among state public institutions.
"GVSU continues to differentiate ourselves with quality in the market, yet still is able to do this at an extremely low overall total cost in comparison with our peers.''
Western Michigan and Ferris State universities also increased tuition for 2018-19:
- In June, Western Michigan's Board of Trustees approved a 3.88 percent tuition increase for undergraduates. A full-time Michigan resident freshman will pay $12,483 in tuition and fees - a $490 increase from the previous year.
- In May, the Ferris State Board of Trustees approved an undergraduate tuition increase of 3.76 percent. The lower division rate is $11,788.
In February, the GVSU board raised room-and-board rates for the 2018-19 academic year by an average of 1.1 percent.
The overall rate increase in room and board represents an average increase in housing of $20 per semester, while the primary meal plan option increased by $25 per semester.
For example, undergraduates who live in a double dorm room in the Traditional Living Centers will now pay $2,770 per semester or $5,540 for the year. The 14 Plus Meal Plan rises to $1,575 per semester or $3,150 for the year.
For more details on the 2018-19 tuition rates, visit the website.
In other Board of Trustees business:
- President Thomas Haas, who retires in June 2019, received a 2.75 percent raise, increasing his salary to $435,660. The faculty also got a 2.75 percent hike.
- Mary Kramer was named the board's new chairperson. Kramer, former vice chair, replaces John Kennedy, who will continue to serve. She is Group Publisher of Crain Communications. Meghan Sall, assistant city manager for Wyoming, is the new vice chair.
- Loren Rullman
- Sherril Soman was named the interim Dean of Education. She has served as associate vice president and university registrar and associate professor of chemistry.