State Board approves resident student fee increase, tuition remains flat

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) - The Idaho State Board of Education approved student fee increases at Idaho’s 4-year institutions on Wednesday.

Earlier this year, the institution presidents pledged not to request undergraduate resident tuition increases for the third consecutive year. However, the institutions did bring forward student body government-endorsed requests to increase mandatory consolidated resident student fees to address various increased inflationary, and student services costs and maintenance backlogs.

Here are the increased amounts resident students will pay starting in academic year 2022/23:

• Lewis-Clark State College - $14 per year                        
• University of Idaho - $56 per year                         
• Boise State University - $304 per year                 
• Idaho State University - $86 per year         

The Board recently revised its fee policy establishing mandatory consolidated fees comprised of four standardized fee categories allowing students to opt-out of fees that support certain student activities, clubs and organizations.

Institution presidents report that college applications and campus tours by perspective students and their families have increased compared to last year.

Associate Degree Programs to be Offered at University of Idaho

The State Board also approved proposals from the University of Idaho that allow the institution to offer two-year degrees for first time in its history.

Starting Jul 1, 2022, the U of I will offer the following:

• Associate of Science in Forest Nursery Management and Technology
• Associate of Science in Forest Operations and Technology
• Associate of Science in Wildland Fuel and Fire Technology

The Board also directed staff to develop a “framework for evaluating new degree programs outside traditional offerings” that would apply systemwide to all institutions. Based on Board discussion, prospective criteria may address local needs, institutional capacity, interinstitutional collaboration, statewide non-competition, and student cost.

The State Board of Education meeting continues on Thursday, April 21 starting at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time.  The agenda and meeting materials are posted on the State Board website.