Ed Board Returns To Old System Of Student Fee Hikes

The state Board of Education has given up its fight against raising student fees.

Friday, the board voted to repeal a motion it made in April that froze student fees and, instead, approved a return to the old system.

“I can’t remember the last time I threw in the towel,” said board member Roy Mosman.

One of the main reasons for this decision was a recommendation by the Idaho Presidents’ Council to return to the way things were.

Idaho State University President Richard Bowen said colleges and universities want to prevent a “rubber band effect” from happening: One year there is no increase and then students are slapped with a hefty increase the next year to make up for the shortfall.

The old system is more consistent, Bowen said. It calculates student fee increases by using the Consumer Price Index plus 2 percent. The increase is limited to 10 percent above the previous year.

“If we do a little bit every year and maintain the will of the people, we could do it in a fairly painless way,” Bowen said.

In April, when the board voted that student fees would not increase, it was also agreed the board would tell legislative leaders that funding education is the responsibility of the Legislature, not the board, and that some board members thought student fees violated Idaho’s constitutional prohibition against college and university tuition.

A dismal outlook painted by legislative leadership Thursday also played a large role in the decision.

The legislators said there is only 1.6 percent, about $30 million, available above last year’s state funding. And this figure includes the funds restored by the 2.5 percent holdback enacted by Gov. Phil Batt.

Mosman said this fight should have been taken up long ago.

“I’m sorry the issue didn’t come up in the ‘80s,” said Mosman, who has consistently fought fee increases.

Mosman said he didn’t think the board could successfully fight the Legislature for more money to prevent student fees from increasing.