Board endorses idea of tuition at universities

BOISE – The state Board of Education has endorsed a concept to allow three Idaho universities to charge tuition.

The board on Monday decided to spend more time adjusting and reviewing the proposal to allow Boise State University, Idaho State University and Lewis-Clark State College to charge tuition.

It will review revised legislation before sending it to the Legislature.

“This change from fees to tuition is a matter of semantics,” said board President Rod Lewis.

State law prohibits public schools from charging residents tuition. But in 1986, lawmakers defined tuition as only the cost of instruction at colleges and universities – leaving the state free to charge fees for school maintenance, student services, institutional support and other costs that go along with running a university.

Funds for institutional costs come from the state’s general fund. Declining state revenue and increased student enrollment have blurred the line between funds from fees and those from the state.

“Whether you call it student fees or tuition, it is the total amount students are contributing to attend higher education that’s the issue,” Lewis said.

“It is not our intention to use tuition as a means to increase overall student fees beyond that which we would approve in the way of matriculation fees.

“In the last 10 years, Idaho’s in-state student fees have grown almost 136 percent, while the average income has increased only 40 percent,” he said.

Any statutory change allowing some of Idaho’s colleges and universities to charge tuition wouldn’t affect the University of Idaho, whose charter is anchored in the Idaho Constitution. So charging tuition there would require a vote of Idaho residents, officials have said.

During the meeting Lewis said increasing the numbers of graduates coming from Idaho’s higher education institutions is a board priority.

“The numbers of students in Idaho actually graduating from our colleges and universities is still well below the national average,” Lewis told the Legislature’s budget committee.

Idaho ranks 46th in the nation for the percentage of graduates. Only 23 percent of Idaho residents between the ages of 25 and 65 hold college degrees.