Any talks of a possible tuition increase are on hold until NIU’s Board of Trustees receives information on how much funding it will receive from the state for fiscal year 2006.

BOT member Myron Siegel said he hasn’t seen anything about an increase in tuition yet, but also said the BOT has insufficient information to make a decision at this time.

Eddie Williams, executive vice president of Finance and Facilities, said NIU’s main concern is finding out how much funding will be supplied by the state for FY06 before making any decisions about a tuition hike.

“We try our best to be as accurate as possible, so we don’t increase tuition beyond what it needs to be,” Williams said.

However, even preliminary budgets can be taken back by the state after they are approved, Siegel said.

“It’s difficult to rely on a steady source of funding from the state,” Siegel said.

The university also must look at the rising costs of utilities and maintenance, BOT member Barbara Vella said.

“There may be an increase, but not as much as other Illinois schools,” Siegel said.

Williams also said the Truth in Tuition law doesn’t affect the university’s decision about tuition rates.

The law states students, including transfers, who enroll after the 2003-’04 academic year will have fixed tuition rates for four years based upon the current enrollment rate.

It does not apply to students who already were enrolled at the university when the law went into effect.

The fixed tuition rate schedule is good for nine continuous semesters only, even if the student has not received a degree. Starting with the tenth semester, the student no longer will be eligible for the fixed tuition rate schedule, and there will not be an option to renew or restart a new fixed tuition rate schedule. Beginning with the tenth semester, and for each semester thereafter, the student will be charged the tuition rate schedule applicable to new students enrolled that same semester.

In 2004, the undergraduate tuition rate for new students at NIU was $4,103 and was raised to $4,812 in 2005, a 17.3 percent increase, according to the Illinois Board of Higher Education. These rates are based on 30 semester hours.

News of potential tuition increases followed an announcement last Thursday that the University of Illinois plans a possible tuition increase anywhere from 9-to-14 percent.

Siegel said NIU needs as much information as possible to make a fair, accurate decision.

The BOT also will consider a student fee increase of no more than 3 percent in March.