Oklahoma State University approved a large student fee increase similar to OU's insurance policy of fees, but two fees were eliminated after students asked administration to reconsider them.
When the fee increase is added to a possible tuition increase of 20 percent, incoming freshmen could pay about $935 more next year, and current students could pay about $700 more, said Natalea Watkins, OSU assistant vice president for communications.
OU President David L. Boren has said OU students could be paying $800 more each year depending on whether higher education receives more money from other areas, such as American Indian gaming.
A 20 percent tuition increase was used as a reference point at OSU so students could see hypothetically how much more they might be paying, Watkins said.
OSU regents voted unanimously to approve or increase five fees on Friday. Two fees from the proposed list were eliminated after student leaders resisted.
OSU President David Schmidly and his vice presidents visited OSU's Student Government Association meeting and asked for student opinion.
"We laid everything out there so students could get the whole picture," Watkins said.
Student leaders agreed to most of the fees, but asked that two fees, a $.70 per credit hour security fee and $3 per credit hour library facility fee, be eliminated.
Watkins said students felt that these fees were important, but could be delayed until next year. Because OSU already has emergency phones, students said the new security fee that would create an emergency crisis center could wait. Similarly, they said the library facility fee, which would add larger student computers, could also be delayed.
Students did agree to a library electronic resources fee which would continue to provide students electronic access to the library.
The financial burden will fall largely on incoming freshmen because of the approved classroom renovation fee of $7.50 per credit hour which would only be charged to new students. The idea is that current students should not have to pay for renovation they will not be able to use.
This fee is similar to OU's academic facility and life safety fee of $7.50 per credit hour which would only be charged to new students. OU's fee is also supporting maintenance, renovation and construction of academic and other facilities necessary to students.
Boren said this fee will be used primarily for dorm renovation at OU.
"We don't want (current students) to be paying for it and never live in it," Boren said.
As a safety valve, OU has approved an aggressive increase in fees that raises per credit hour costs by at least $710.40 each year for an incoming freshman compared to a similar $515 increase at OSU.
OU's number does not reflect an additional cost of nine other fees, which are paid per course, per semester or as a one-time fee.
OU's fee proposal will go into effect only if the Legislature fails to deregulate OU and OSU tuition this year, Boren said. Based on 30 credit hours, the $710.40 for new students and $485.40 for current students should be considered only a cap which will be cut down if tuition is able to be raised, Boren said.
OSU's fee increases will be implemented despite the amount that tuition increases, Watkins said.
"These fees are to enhance or maintain student services," Watkins said. "They are not at all connected to the budget situation."
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