By Ben Coleman
Western Herald
The Western Michigan University Board of Trustees voted Friday to increase tuition by 7.4 percent, starting this fall.
University officials recommended that the board make the tuition increase during the Board of Trustees’ meeting at WMU’s Bernhard Center.
The tuition hike will cost undergraduate students around an extra $600 to $700 this year, depending on class standing.
Full-time freshman and sophomores will pay $8,182 per year for in-state tuition while full-time juniors and seniors will pay $9,040 per year for in-state tuition.
WMU President John Dunn said tuition hikes are always very difficult decisions, but he still considered tuition rates reasonable for the level of education received at WMU.
“I think we’re still a good buy,” Dunn said. “I hate to put it that way, it sounds less-authentic but it is, it’s a bargain. Nearly 80 percent of the increase will directly help students with instruction, additional advising and financial aid.”
Part-time, in-state students and summer-semester students with 56 credits or more will pay $312.68 per credit hour and students with less than 56 credits will pay $282.92 per credit hour.
Graduate tuition rates have been set at $429.32 per credit hour.
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