Marshall University’s Board of Governors today approved a draft operating budget for Fiscal Year 2016-17, including three potential scenarios for tuition increases for the upcoming academic year.
The possible tuition increases range from five to more than 10 percent, with the final rates contingent on the university’s state budget allocation.
Chief Financial Officer Mary Ellen Heuton said the draft budget and tuition contingency plans were necessary because the State of West Virginia has not yet finalized its budget for next fiscal year and university officials do not know what Marshall’s allocation will be.
She said, “To allow planning for the 2016-17 academic year to continue, we asked for and received the board’s approval of a draft budget and three possible tuition increase scenarios. Once we know what our state budget allocation will be, the board will call a special meeting to review and approve a final budget and the tuition and fees for next year.
“We are eagerly looking to see what happens with the state budget. I’m hoping it’s not as dire as some of the forecasts have been. Our board and administration are committed to remaining mindful of the impact of tuition increases to our students and their families, and continuing to balance that with maintaining our quality.”
Heuton added that the university’s state funding has been reduced by $11.5 million since 2013.
“It’s getting tougher and tougher,” she told board members. “As you know, through a very intentional, top-to-bottom review of our expenses over the past couple of years, we have cut just about every bit of fat from our operating budget. In planning for next year, we received detailed budget plans from all our operating units, so we can see that we are truly down to what it takes to operate the university and provide services to our students.”
The three scenarios the board approved today for possible increases in the university’s overall tuition* rates are as follows:
• Option 1 – If there are no additional state appropriation reductions, overall tuition will increase by 5 percent.
• Option 2 – If there are additional state appropriation reductions of up to 4 percent, overall tuition will increase by 8 percent.
• Option 3 – If there are additional state appropriation reductions of more than 4 percent, overall tuition will increase by at least 11 percent.
In other action today, the board:
• Approved a reforecast budget for the current fiscal year;
• Approved an intent to plan a bachelor of science and a master of science in electrical and computer engineering;
• Authorized the offering of additional undergraduate courses at the university’s South Charleston campus;
• Approved updated policies on travel and discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, sexual and domestic misconduct, stalking and retaliation; and
• Approved dropping three programs—master of arts degrees in early childhood education, elementary education and secondary education—to allow the creation of a single master of arts degree in education.
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* Overall tuition includes Education and General fees, System Capital fees, Recreation Center fees and Auxiliary fees for those undergraduate and graduate students not in a program with a separate tuition rate (excludes the schools of medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy, as well as the graduate forensic science and master of public health programs).