NIU’s Board of Trustees approved a differentiating tuition rate increase averaging 11 percent and a $100 surcharge during a special session on May 5 in the Skyroom of the Holmes Student Center.

Chairman Manny Sanchez, who chaired in the meeting via telephone, also instructed President Peters to form a team that will find a way to create some financial reward for faculty and staff.

The board approved a tuition rate increase of nine percent for freshman and sophomores and an 12 percent increase for juniors, seniors and graduate students.

“It’s an idea that’s time has come for NIU,” Peters said about the differentiating tuition rates.

Peters said the need to charge upper division undergraduate and graduate students more for tuition is because they have more needs than lower division students. He said their schedule consists of smaller classes, more lab resources and other needs that come with upper level classes, therefore, they should carry more financial responsibility.

The program allowing students to receive a lower tuition charge when taking more hours will remain in effect, said Eddie Williams. Based on a 12 credit hour schedule, undergraduate lower-division students will pay $140 more a semester and $186 more a semester for upper-division undergraduate students.

The tuition rate increase will also affect the summer session tuition.

Trustees Barbara Giorgi Vella, Catherine Adduci, Robert Boey and student trustee Jesse Perez joined Sanchez in approving the motion. Trustee Myron Siegel voted “present”, therefore abstaining from the vote. Trustees George Moser and Gary Skoien were not available to participate in the vote.

Siegel declined to explain why he didn’t vote for or against the tuition rate increase, only saying that he had explained his views with other board members via e-mail and in face to face conversations.

The board also approved surcharge of $100 per semester per student will begin for the Fall 2003 semester. The surcharge will increase to $250 for fiscal years 2005 through 2008.

Peters said the surcharge will be used to support teaching and learning technology.

Adduci said she supported the surcharge in order to stay competitive and attract the best students. However she asked Peters to “be prudent” when spending the money to upgrade NIU’s technology services.

Perez said he hoped the money for technology improvements will bring about a replacement to the social security number identification system currently in place.

All present trustees approved the surcharge motion.

During the chairman’s comments, Sanchez expressed concern about the morale of the faculty and staff who have had freezes placed on their salaries before instructing Peters to evaluate ways to reward them.

“They shouldn’t have to go through two years without a pay raise,” Sanchez said. Star Poll