University of Illinois Board of Trustees Approves Tuition Plan

CHICAGO--The University of Illinois Board of Trustees Thursday voted unanimously to approve a comprehensive tuition plan for fall 2001 that University leaders publicly unveiled last month.

The plan adds $500 per year for the next two years as a surcharge to tuition for new students only. The revenue is earmarked for significant improvements in education, technology, student services and financial aid. Continuing students will see tuition rise between 3-5%, depending on the campus.

President James J. Stukel said he was grateful for the board's strong and swift support.

"The board recognizes that quality costs money and that our new students will greatly benefit from the improvements the surcharge affords. Since early December, we have talked with legislators, community leaders and editorial boards, among others, and sense widespread support to maintain the University's outstanding quality and reputation. The board's action in moving the proposal now affirms their strong commitment to quality education."

Stukel said the University is committed to continue talking about the details of the tuition plan with students and other interested parties.

"The broad outlines of this plan are clear. But the board and I are committed to continuing a discussion process assuring students that we will make the best use of these welcome and vital new dollars."

Trustee Kenneth Schmidt successfully urged the board to immediately adopt the (continued) new tuition program, rather than waiting until the March meeting.

"We have been keenly aware of urgent University needs for months," he said. "We all recognize this action to be absolutely necessary," he said. "So why are we waiting?"

Schmidt, newly elected to the board's executive committee, led the board's enthusiastic support of the surcharge-which is for new students only-as well as tuition increases for continuing students of 3 percent at the Chicago campus, 4 percent at Springfield and 5 percent at Urbana-Champaign. Changes in student tuition, as well as fees and room and board, originally were planned for the next regular board meeting, in March.

"This step is essential to the health of this great university," Schmidt said. "We announced these plans in December and it is vital that we act decisively. Prospective students and their families should plan accordingly and with the sure knowledge that the University of Illinois remains a great value."

In a detailed presentation to the Board Thursday, Vice President for Academic Affairs Chester S. Gardner documented the university's strategic needs and historic trends in Illinois higher education and U of I funding.

The U of I, for example, has aggressively enlarged funding from such outside sources as federal and corporate grants and contracts and private donations, which now represent about one-third of the University's total operating budget. Tuition is about 10 percent and state support about 30 percent.

Besides offsetting general inflation, the new tuition revenue will help pay the costs of upgrading and expanding educational technology, remodeling classrooms and teaching labs, expanding course offerings and increasing course sections, improving student advising, and enriching the libraries.

Beginning next fall continuing undergraduates-who will not pay the surcharge-will have a "sticker price" increase for tuition, fees, room and board of 3.2 percent at UIC, 4.9 percent at UIS and 4.7 percent at Urbana-Champaign. New undergraduates-be they freshmen or transfers-will see sticker price increases for tuition, fees, room and board of 8 percent at UIC and 9.6 percent at Urbana-Champaign. The Springfield campus (continued) is not participating in the surcharge plan.

Gardner said the University of Illinois's tuition is both a real bargain and a good value relative to comparable universities. Urbana-Champaign, for example, has had the lowest tuition and fee increases in the Big Ten for the last decade. UIC is in 18th place among 22 of its peer institutions in tuition.

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