Budget Recommendation Committee members finalized recommendations for fiscal 2022-23 tuition rates in their meeting Friday and continued the discussion on fiscal 2022-23 Mandatory Fee increases in anticipation of voting.
Fee-increase process
As discussed in the previous BRC meeting, per Metropolitan State University of Denver’s student fee plan, existing Mandatory Fees can be increased up to 5% to cover mandatory cost increases. Mandatory cost increases are those that a fee-supported program is required to incur due to changes outside of the program’s control. To address rising mandatory costs, the BRC recommends an increase of 5% to all MSU Mandatory Fees except for the Campus Recreation and Student Technology Fees, which would remain flat.
The proposed fee increase would also help cover anticipated personnel-cost increases, including the 3% state-recommended increase for Classified staff members, possible salary increases for non-Classified staff members and administrators, and a potential minimum-wage increase for fiscal 2023. Additionally, the increase would help address inflation and the anticipated 6% enrollment decline this fall and the anticipated 4.2% enrollment decline next spring.
Impact on tuition
The approximate impact of the proposed fee increase, including the proposed increase to Auraria Higher Education Center and Phoenix Center fees, and the proposed 2% tuition increase for full-time-equivalent resident students is $240; nonresident FTE students would see an increase of $590.
Students experiencing financial need will still have sources of support through institutional scholarships such as the Roadrunner Promise, athletic scholarships and scholarship funds dedicated to students with Expected Family Contributions of $2,400 or less.
The University is still working to achieve flat enrollment for the fall semester, as a 1% change in enrollment is roughly equivalent to a $1 million impact on the University budget.
Student feedback
Student Advocacy Council Representative Jeremy Medina expressed concern over tuition increases, noting that many students are attracted to MSU Denver for its affordability.
George Middlemist, Ph.D., associate vice president for Administration/CFO, acknowledged that MSU Denver students often face myriad financial challenges. He reiterated the University’s goal to keep tuition transparent and affordable throughout a student’s MSU Denver experience, while being good and responsible stewards of state funding and all sources of revenue.
The University’s finance team is also considering a locked-in tuition model that would keep tuition flat for up to six years for new students and up to four years for transfer students. This proposal is still in the cost-analysis phase, and more information will be available in future BRC recaps.
Next steps
Members will vote via email on the following:
- #1 – Increase FY23 tuition by 2% (resident and nonresident)
- #2 – Increase FY23 Mandatory Fees by:
- Raising Health and Wellness, Student Affairs Fee, Athletics and Bond Fee by 5%.
- Keeping Campus Rec and Student Tech Fee flat.
Stay tuned to the next BRC recap for voting results and next steps.