Regents eye rising student costs

      Nevada's university and community college students will continue to see school costs climb this fall.
      University regents meet this week in Las Vegas and plan to discuss the rising costs of higher education. Board members will consider imposing new specialty fees in addition to tuition increases approved last summer.
      Undergraduate fees at the state's two universities, which rose to $64 in the fall of 1996, will increase again by $2.50 per credit this fall and by $2.50 in 1998. Students carrying 15-credit loads, at $66.50 per credit, will see their bills increase by $37.50 in fall 1997.
      Graduate student fees will increase by $3 a year this fall to $90 and by another $3 in 1998.
      Community college fees increased to $36.50 in the fall of 1996. Under a schedule approved last summer by regents, the fees will climb by $1.50 a credit hour this fall and $1.50 in 1998. Students carrying 15-credit loads, at $38 per credit, will see their bills increase by $22.50 in fall 1997.
      Half of those increases are expected to be earmarked for additional financial aid.
      Last summer, Chancellor Richard Jarvis said the fee-increase schedule, which uses an inflation factor and base requirement that students pay 25 percent of the cost of their education, will make future fee increases more predictable.
      While meeting Thursday and Friday at the Desert Research Institute, university regents also will discuss whether to continue dedicating a previous $6 per credit increase to student services through 1999. Regents have asked university and community college presidents to allow students to participate while spending priorities are defined.
      Additionally, regents this week will consider boosting room-and-board fees for students living in dormitories.
      Other one-time fees would apply to processing the paperwork of international students, correspondence classes and labs for welding and emergency technician classes in Elko.