NORMAL—NIU students will pay about $300 more for tuition, student fees and room and board for the fall 1989 semester.

The Board of Regents approved the increases at its meeting Thursday at Illinois State University at Normal.

A $2.40 annual fee for The Northern Star was the only proposed fee that did not gain the Regents’ approval.

The Regents agreed that a Star fee could be brought to the board again at their April meeting.

After a discussion about the fee, which lasted approximately 45 minutes, Regents Chairwoman Carol Burns said, “The appropriate place to bargain is not at the board level.”

NIU President John LaTourette said he brought the issue of the Star fee to the meeting because it could not be resolved at the campus level.

LaTourette and NIU Student Regent Nick Valadez held conflicting opinions on the fee.

Valadez was one of the most vocal opponents of the Star fee. Valadez said the fee is “unwarranted, unnecessary and inappropriate.”

Valadez presented the argument that the Star would be able to spend the appropriated money without any form of scrutiny.

“The publication board has little or no control over how they (the Star) spend their money,” he said.

LaTourette, who supported the fee, said one of the primary functions of the publication board is financial management of the Star.

Regent Milton McClure said the Star gave the Regents a copy of its first annual report at the December meeting, which indicates an improvement in fiscal management. “Give them credit for that,” he said.

The Regents also expressed some concerns over a $3.24 one-time fee to fund a campus security phone system.

During a discussion, which lasted about 10 minutes, Burns questioned whether the cost of the system should be paid by students or by NIU.

She said the fee for the system falls outside of what student fees normally support. “I was concerned it might set a precedent of (students funding) different operational items. I would just caution that we should not let that happen,” she said.

Valadez said the fee is a “one-time fee only” and “seems to be a very reasonable cost in terms of maintenance.”

NIU is responsible for funding maintenance of the system.

The Regents approved an increase of $144 in NIU room and board, raising the annual rate to $2,610.

The Regents also approved the annualization of a $125 per-semester tuition increase passed as a surcharge last semester.

Annual increases in NIU student fees approved by the Regents include:

A $6 increase in the activity fee, from $34.32 to $40.32.

A $15.60 increase in the bond revenue fee, from $153.12 to $168.72.

A $26.04 increase in the health insurance fee and a $6 increase in the health service fee, raising the total of the two fees from $208.56 to $240.60.

A $2.16 increase in the Huskie Busline fee, from $55.92 to $58.08.