Higher college student fees proposed

Friday, May 1, 1998 | 9:59 a.m.

FALLON -- Student fees could be increasing 3 percent to 4 percent at state universities and community colleges under a plan presented today (Friday) by Chancellor Richard Jarvis.

Jarvis told the board of regents of the University and Community College System of Nevada that he expects enrollments to increase by more than 6 percent a year in the 1999-2001 biennium.

He plans to ask the Legislature to boost the state appropriation by 15 percent to 20 percent and also to raise the fees of student. Despite the proposed increase, tuition and fees would still be below average for western public universities.

Already approved is a 4 percent increase in the cost per credit hour to start in September. The plan before the regents calls for the price of a credit hour to rise from $69 next September at UNLV and UNR to $71.50 in 1999 and to $74 in 2000. Non-resident tuition will go from $5,770 to $6,347 in 1999 and $6,980 in 2000.

Registration fees per credit hour at community colleges are programmed to rise from $39.50 to $41 in 1999 and $42.50 in 2000.

The policy of the university has been to adjust registration fees every two years to cover inflation plus 1 percent, unless the fees exceed the median of comparable schools in the West.

Nevada ranks 14th out of 16 western schools in its present tuition and fees at state universities. Nevada charges $1,995 a semester, while the University of California is tops at $4,212 and California State University is 16th at $1,929.

Nevada community colleges are ninth among 14 other comparable schools in the West. The semester fee is $1,140 compared to $1,900 in Alaska and $390 in California.

Fees for full-time students at the new William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV are programmed for $233 per credit hour in the 1999-2001 biennium. Non-resident tuition and registration fees would be $467 per credit hour.

Part-time residents would pay $250 per credit hour and non-residents would be assessed $500 per credit hour at the law school. Also to begin this year is a $250 tuition deposit for the law school.

The biennial schedule calls for university registration fees for graduate students to go from $93 per credit hour which starts next September to $96.50 in 1999 and $100 in 2000.

President Joseph Crowley of the University of Nevada, Reno, also proposed to raise tuition and fees at the school of medicine from $3,741, which begins in September to $3,891 in 1999 and $4,046 in 2000. Non-resident fees would rise from $21,931 to $22,208 in 1999 and $23,720 in 2000.

The regents also received a recommendation for a $102.7 million building program for the 1999-2001 biennium to be presented to the next Legislature. Of the total $33.7 million, or 32.8 percent, would go to UNLV; $30 million, or 29.2 percent, would go to the Community College of Southern Nevada, and $17 million, or 16.6 percent, to the University of Nevada, Reno. The remainder would be divided among the other community colleges.

UNLV's priority projects are $7.7 million for furnishing of the new Lied Library now under construction; $13.1 million for renovation of the present library to be converted into a law school; $3.8 million for an addition to the student services building; and $9.1 million for construction of Wright Hall.

The list of projects at the Community College of Southern Nevada are $20 million for a science building at the Charleston campus and $5 million each for high technology centers in Las Vegas and Pahrump.

University officials also have a second list calling for another $75.2 million in construction projects. But lagging tax revenues may mean there won't be enough money to finance the full request.