Despite the rising costs that are associated with receiving a college education, Illinois State University will not increase tuition for incoming, transfer, and graduate students, the Board of Trustees announced on Friday.
For the 2019-2020 academic year, there will be no increase in tuition, room and board rates. However the mandatory fees that students pay will increase by $10 per credit hour.
Earlier the university approved an increase in the price of optional student health insurance by $16 per academic year, placing the total cost of attendance for a full-time student at $24,682.
Various colleges and universities across the nation are undertaking similar initiatives. The University of HawaiʻI, Michigan State University, Newberry College, Purdue University and Corban University are among others who have frozen tuition costs for their students during the current academic year.
The board has also approved a budget of $2.4 million to repair and replace the components of the central air distribution system in Watterson Towers and an additional $33 million to a project to enhance the ventilation system to each student room in the facility.
“The upgrade project will provide new ducts from the vertical shaft source to each student room,” the board said. “The project also provides an opportunity to upgrade the public corridor ceilings on all of the student room floors.”
The board further allocated $6 million to renovate Julian Hall to accommodate the Information Technology Cybersecurity Program and create more programming space for future academics and students.
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