NIU students will pay 6 percent more in student fees next year.

The university’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved the increase Wednesday, which will cost full-time undergraduates slightly more than $51.

Contributing to the increase was a $31.50 increase in student health insurance — an increase BOT members called tame compared to the national increases in health insurance, which in some instances have doubled.

In addition to raising student fees, room and board rates also were raised 5.8 percent. Depending on which residence hall a student lives in, the increase could cost between $78 and $129.

Budget crisis

NIU President John Peters and members of the BOT stressed again on Wednesday that the “unprecedented” $8.6 million reserve request from the state is difficult for the university.

“Never before have we been exposed to such budget constraints as we are now,” said Manuel Sanchez, BOT chairman. “We’ve got some incredibly difficult situations confronting us on the budget side.”

Sanchez does not expect the budget situation to be good the next time the board meets, he said.

Sanchez addressed pending legislation that would force tuition payment to go directly to the state and not to NIU. These payments then would be deferred to NIU in the future.

“Some government officials feel we shouldn’t control [the tuition income],” Sanchez said. “The right to control our own earned tuition is something that has been argued for in the past.”

Sue Willis, president of the Faculty Senate, said the faculty is willing to do its part in the crisis.

“The faculty is getting more and more nervous, partly with this $8[.6] million cut,” she said. “It’s hard to imagine how we can deal with that.”

Recognizing the faculty’s concerns, Peters said he no longer is certain that NIU can avoid layoffs, but added that none have been planned yet.

Before any cuts or tuition increases can be discussed, there are uncertainties of the state’s end that must be resolved.

“We have to get the recession target for this year,” Peters said.

NIU also must wait on Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s budget address on April 9, which will include the budget for higher education in the state.

Peters expects the higher education budget to be reduced significantly.

With it being so late in fiscal year 2003, there are risks that the cuts will carry over into fiscal year 2004, Peters said.

There’s been worse

Sanchez noted that in 1991, NIU did not control the tuition revenue like it does now. With the unexpected increase in enrollment, he said drastic events followed.

“The effects were devastating to our students,” he said. “We couldn’t add courses or instructors to help students graduate in a timely fashion. In the end, some students were caught in the pinch; students had to stay an extra semester, and that cost them more money.”