Board Policy on Student Tuition and Fees
Consistent with the Statewide Plan for Higher Education in Idaho, the institutions shall maintain tuition and fees that provide for quality education and maintain access to educational programs for Idaho citizens. In setting fees, the Board will consider recommended fees as compared to fees at peer institutions, percent fee increases compared to inflationary factors, fees as a percent of per capita income and/or household income, and the share students pay of their education costs. Other criteria may be considered as is deemed appropriate at the time of a fee change. An institution cannot request more than a ten percent (10%) increase in the total full-time student fee unless otherwise authorized by the Board.
Tuition and Fee Setting Process - Board Approved Tuition and Fees
Initial Notice
A proposal to alter student tuition and fees covered by Subsection V.R.3. shall be formalized by initial notice of the chief executive officer of the institution at least six (6) weeks prior to the Board meeting at which a final decision is to be made.
Notice will consist of transmittal, in writing, to the student body president and to the recognized student newspaper during the months of publication of the proposal contained in the initial notice. The proposal will describe the amount of change, statement of purpose, and the amount of revenues to be collected.
The initial notice must include an invitation to the students to present oral or written testimony at the public hearing held by the institution to discuss the fee proposal. A record of the public hearing as well as a copy of the initial notice shall be made available to the Board.
Board Approval
Board approval for fees will be considered when appropriate or necessary. This approval will be timed to provide the institutions with sufficient time to prepare the subsequent fiscal year operating budget.
Effective Date
Any change in the rate of tuition and fees becomes effective on the date approved by the Board unless otherwise specified.
Definitions and Types of Tuition and Fees
The following definitions are applicable to tuition and fees charged to students at all of the state colleges and universities, except where limited to a particular institution or institutions.
General and Professional-Technical Education Tuition and Fees
Tuition and fees approved by the State Board of Education. Revenues from these fees are deposited as required by Section V, Subsection Q.
(1) Tuition - University of Idaho
Tuition is defined as the fee charged for the cost of instruction at the University of Idaho. The cost of instruction shall not include those costs associated with the construction, maintenance, and operation of buildings and facilities, student services; or institutional support, which are complementary to, but not a part of, the instructional program. Tuition may be charged only to nonresident students enrolled in the University of Idaho, or to resident students enrolled in the University of Idaho who are in a professional program, college, school, or department approved by the State Board of Education and the Board of Regents of the University of Idaho; who are taking extra studies; or who are part-time students at the institutions.
(2) Matriculation Fee - University of Idaho
Matriculation fee is defined as the fee charged at the University of Idaho for all educational costs other than the cost of instruction, including, but not limited to, costs associated with the construction, maintenance, and operation of buildings and facilities, student services, and institutional support.
(3) Tuition - Boise State University, Idaho State University, Lewis-Clark State College
Tuition is defined as the fee charged for any and all educational costs at Boise State University, Idaho State University, and Lewis Clark State College. Tuition fees include, but are not limited to, costs associated with academic services; instruction; the construction, maintenance, and operation of buildings and facilities; student services; or institutional support.
(4) Professional-Technical Education Fee
Professional-Technical Education fee is defined as the fee charged for educational costs for students enrolled in Professional-Technical Education pre employment, preparatory programs.
(5) Part-time Credit Hour Fee
Part-time credit hour fee is defined as the fee per credit hour charged for educational costs for part-time students enrolled in any degree program.
(6) Graduate Fee
Graduate fee is defined as the additional fee charged for educational costs for full-time and part-time students enrolled in any post baccalaureate degree-granting program.
(7) Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) Fee
Western Undergraduate Exchange fee is defined as the additional fee for full-time students participating in this program and shall be equal to fifty percent (50%) of the total of the tuition fee, matriculation fee, facility fee, and activity fee.
(8) Employee/Spouse Fee
The fee for eligible participants shall be a registration fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) plus five dollars ($5.00) per credit hour. Eligibility shall be determined by each institution. Employees at institutions, agencies and the school under the jurisdiction of the Board may be eligible for this fee. Special course fees may also be charged.
(9) Senior Citizen Fee
The fee for Idaho residents who are 60 years of age or older shall be a registration fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) plus five dollars ($5.00) per credit hour. This fee is for courses on a space available basis only. Special course fees may also be charged.
(10) In-Service Teacher Education Fee
The fee shall be one-third of the average part-time undergraduate credit hour fee or one-third of the average graduate credit hour fee. This special fee shall be applicable only to approved teacher education courses. The following guidelines will determine if a course or individual qualifies for this special fee.
(a) The student must be an Idaho public school teacher or other professional employee of an Idaho school district.
(b) The costs of instruction are paid by an entity other than an institution.
(c) The course must be approved by the appropriate academic unit(s) at the institution.
(d) The credit awarded is for professional development and cannot be applied towards a degree program.
(11) Workforce Training Credit Fee
This fee is defined as a fee charged students enrolled in a qualified Workforce Training course where the student elects to receive credit. The fee is charged for processing and transcripting the credit. The cost of delivering Workforce Training courses, which typically are for noncredit, is an additional fee since Workforce Training courses are self-supporting. The fees for delivering the courses are retained by the technical colleges. The Workforce Training fee shall be $10.00 per credit.
Institutional Local Fees - Approved by the Board
Institutional local fees are both full-time and part-time student fees that are approved by the State Board of Education and deposited into local institutional accounts. Local fees shall be expended for the purposes for which they were collected.
The facilities, activity and technology fees shall be displayed with the institution's tuition and fees when the Board approves tuition and fees.
(1) Facilities Fee
Facilities fee is defined as the fee charged for capital improvement and building projects and for debt service required by these projects. Revenues collected from this fee may not be expended on the operating costs of the general education facilities.
(2) Activity Fee
Activity fee is defined as the fee charged for such activities as intercollegiate athletics, student health center, student union operations, the associated student body, financial aid, intramural and recreation, and other activities which directly benefit and involve students. The activity fee shall not be charged for educational costs or major capital improvement or building projects. Each institution shall develop a detailed definition and allocation proposal for each activity for internal management purposes.
(3) Technology Fee
Technology fee is defined as the fee charged for campus technology enhancements and operations.
(4) Professional Fees
To designate a professional fee for a Board approved program, all of the following criteria must be met:
(a) Credentialing Requirement:
1) A professional fee may be assessed if graduates of the professional program obtain a specialized higher education degree that qualifies them to practice a professional service or to be eligible for credentialing or licensing to practice a professional service.
2) The program leads to a degree that is at least the minimum required for entry to the practice of a profession.
(b) Accreditation Requirement (if applicable): The program meets the requirements of national/specialized/professional accrediting agencies as defined by the State Board of Education.
(c) Extraordinary Program Costs: The cost of the professional program significantly exceeds the cost of nonprofessional programs at the institution. Institutions will be required to provide documentation to support the reported cost of the program.
Institutions will propose professional fees for Board approval based on the costs to deliver the program.
(5) Self-Support Certificate and Program Fees
Self-support certificates and programs are a defined set of specific courses that must all be successfully completed in order to earn the certificate. Such programs must be encapsulated, separate and distinct from the regular courses of the institution. Institutions may offer self-support certificates and programs if the fees assessed cover all costs of the program and no appropriated funds are used to support the program. In addition, students pay a fee for the entire program and may not enroll for program courses on an individual course-by-course basis. Students enrolled in the self-support programs may take courses outside of the program as long as they pay the required tuition and fees for those courses. Institutions will establish such fees on an individual program basis according to anticipated expenditures. Self-support certificate and program fees are retained by the institution.
(6) Contracts and Grants
Special fee arrangements are authorized by the Board for instructional programs provided by an institution pursuant to a grant or contract approved by the Board.
(7) Student Health Insurance Premiums or Room and Board Rates
Fees for student health insurance premiums paid either as part of the uniform student fee or separately by individual students, or charges for room and board at the dormitories or family housing units of the institutions. Changes in insurance premiums or room and board rates or family housing charges shall be approved by the Board no later than three (3) months prior to the semester the change is to become effective. The Board may delegate the approval of these premiums and rates to the chief executive officer.
Institutional Local Fees and Charges Approved by Chief Executive Officer
These local fees and charges are assessed to support specific activities and are only charged to students that engage in these particular activities. Local fees and charges are deposited into local institutional accounts and shall only be expended for the purposes for which they were collected.
(1) Continuing Education
Continuing education fee is defined as the additional fee to part-time students which is charged on a per credit hour basis to support the costs of continuing education.
(2) Course Overload Fee
This fee may be charged to full-time students with excessive course loads as determined by each institution.
(3) Special Course Fees or Assessments
A special course fee is a fee required for a specific course or special activity and, therefore, not required of all students enrolled at the institution. Fees such as penalty assessments, library fines, continuing education fees, parking fines, laboratory fees, breakage fees, fees for video outreach courses, late registration fees, and fees for special courses offered for such purposes as remedial education credit that do not count toward meeting degree requirements are considered special course fees. All special course fees or penalty assessments, or changes to such fees or assessments, are established and become effective in the amount and at the time specified by the chief executive officer of the institution. The chief executive officer is responsible for reporting these fees to the Board upon request.
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