Increases in tuition proposed

Tuition will rise 10 percent at Nevada's two universities, one state college and four community colleges starting in the next biennium under proposals the Board of Regents will hear this week.

But students could be in store for far higher rates before the next biennium, or two-year legislative cycle, starts in the fall 2009 semester.

Rates for this year and next year already have been set.

Higher education leaders will warn regents this week that even if they pass the initial increase proposal, they could be asked to approve even higher fees in the future.

Officials are hoping to work out a deal with the Legislature to radically revise the way Nevada colleges are funded.

Such a deal would allow the colleges and universities to keep a greater percentage of tuition money.

Under the present funding formula, between 60 percent and 70 percent of every tuition dollar from students goes into the state's general fund coffers, where legislators later distribute it to the institutions.

If an agreement is reached before fall 2009, fees for the next biennium could drastically increase, university system Executive Vice Chancellor Dan Klaich said.

With the higher tuition, university officials want to fund more services and offer more financial aid. Students have been receptive to higher tuition if they know it will directly go to services they benefit from, advocates for the higher tuition have said.

Regents have historically been supportive of modest tuition increases.

"I've always said there should be tuition increases every two years for cost of living and inflation," Regent Mark Alden said.

But Alden said he couldn't support drastic rises in tuition.

Tuition in Nevada is already low. Among Western states, undergraduate tuition at four-year institutions in the state is one of the cheapest, according to data from the Nevada System of Higher Education.

"On a comparative basis ... it's a real bargain," UNLV Vice President for Finance Gerry Bomotti said.

The plans regents will consider this week likely won't move Nevada from that bargain status.

Undergraduate students at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the University of Nevada, Reno would see fees rise 5 percent per year over the next biennium, and graduate tuition would rise 10 percent for each of the two years.

That tuition does not include other fees, such as those that go toward student life facilities, student health, and technology services.

A typical undergraduate at UNLV taking 15 credits, for example, would have to pay another nearly $300 in fees per semester on top of tuition.

The most drastic hikes would hit students and future students at the Boyd School of Law at UNLV. Tuition there will double for in-state students, from $8,900 annually this year to $20,000 in 2010-11.

By comparison, the James E. Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona charged students $17,768 for tuition this year.

"I suspect that we'll still be on the more affordable side of the spectrum," law school Dean John Valery White said. "The schools around us have been going up at a more rapid rate."

Added tuition would help fund an alumni services program and build up other student services, White said.

Student tuition covers about 20 percent of the entire higher education system budget in Nevada, according to the Nevada System of Higher Education. That funding rate wouldn't budge under the current plan for higher tuition.

Nationally, tuition usually covers between 21 percent and 31 percent of higher education budgets.

Contact reporter Lawrence Mower at lmower@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0440.