Off-campus and online tuition changes announcedJuly 28, 2010 KALAMAZOO--Acting on July 23, The Western Michigan University Board of Trustees approved a 6.9 percent tuition increase for the 2010-11 year for students taking courses at regional sites and graduate online courses. The undergraduate online course pricing was revamped to accommodate the large number of on-campus undergraduate students who take online courses. The 6.9 percent tuition increase is the same amount approved for on-campus tuition. Effective with the start of the fall 2010 semester, students taking courses at EUP locations around the state will pay $340.25 per credit hour for undergraduate courses and $481 per credit hour for graduate courses. According to Dr. Dawn Gaymer, associate vice provost for Extended University Programs, all of WMU's 100 percent online courses are offered through Extended University Programs, and as those offerings have grown, the EUP pricing structure has been a disadvantage to on-campus students who pay a flat tuition rate but who want part of their course load to be completed online. Online courses are not included in the flat-rate tuition structure. "This has caused a financial disincentive for full-time undergraduate students on campus who want to take online courses," Gaymer says. Previously, on-campus students would have paid for an online course in addition to paying the flat rate. With the new pricing structure, these students will receive an adjustment to more closely align with the flat-rate tuition (less the online support fee, which is $60 per credit hour). The $20-per-course EUP technology fee will be removed for the undergraduate online courses. Go to wmich.edu/tuition to learn more about the new tuition rates. Related article Media contact: Cheryl Roland, (269) 387-8400, cheryl.roland@wmich.edu WMU News |
