WMU aviation programs to be part of Midwest tuition exchange group

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Meeting July 8, the Western Michigan University Board of Trustees signed off on a recommendation to allow WMU's College of Aviation to become part of a nine-state tuition reciprocity program starting in 2016-17, making enrollment in the college more accessible to nonresident students from across the Midwest.

With trustee approval, the University will execute an agreement with the Midwest Student Exchange Program that is limited to aviation programs and will restrict nonresident tuition rates for students from member states to no more than 150 percent of resident rates.

More than 100 colleges participate in the exchange among the nine member states. Those states are Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wisconsin. In Michigan, the only other public university member is Ferris State University, which accepted 409 students through the program in 2013-14.  Lake Superior State University belonged to the exchange until it went to a single tuition rate for both resident and nonresident students.

The number o f Michigan residents leaving the state to attend college in other states through the program totaled 745 in 2013-14, the most recent year for which data are available.

"As WMU seeks to increase enrollment of out-of-state students, joining MNSEP opens new doors to attract prospective students to consider WMU," says Dr. Christopher Tremblay, WMU associate provost for enrollment management. "This move can potentially expand our recruitment territory into states where we have not previously directly recruited."

The move, Tremblay says, will also boost the University's recruitment success in states like Illinois, where WMU already has both a strong recruiting presence and a large alumni base.

Through the MSEP, public institutions agree to charge students no more than 150% of the in-state resident tuition rate for specific programs; private institutions offer a 10% reduction on their tuition rates. All enrollment decisions are made at the discretion of the receiving campus and the campus may exercise its right to limit participation or set specific admission requirements for MSEP.