Jaclyn Figg
Staff Writer
For many students the yearly rising of tuition can be frustrating and difficult to plan for financially.
ISU is planning on a pilot program starting fall 2016 for incoming in-state freshman that will lock tuition for four years.
“This is about finding ways to improve affordability for students, improve retention and give them a more predictable cost for their education,” said Blake Youde, chief communications and legislative affairs officer for the State Board of Education (SBOE).
To qualify, students must be first-time freshmen pursuing a degree and complete one semester.
As well, enrollment in 15 credits per semester while retaining a grade point average of 2.0 is required.
“It’s super exciting. This is a great opportunity for Idaho students,” said Stuart Summers, associate vice president for marketing and communications.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the four-year graduation rate at ISU is 11 percent and the six-year graduation rate is 31 percent.
“ISU is trying to address student retention. There are a number of students who enroll but don’t complete their education. They believe if they can hold tuition steady for four years that will be an incentive for those students to persist and complete,” said Matt Freeman, executive director of the SBOE.
Tuition increases yearly for students although ISU has maintained the lowest increase in Idaho institutions thus far.
It is the only school in Idaho currently set to participate in this program.
“People want to wait and see. It’s experimental. If it works for us they might think of doing themselves,” said ISU President Arthur C. Vailas.
As tuition has increased every year, committing to a student for four years is taking a risk for ISU.
If the program does bring in more students, and manage to bring up the retention and graduation rate, it could be a huge benefit.
“Virtually all the institutions in the state have experienced some enrollment declines and that’s not a surprise. Enrollment is reciprocal to the economy, so the economy strengthens, less people are going to school, so there’s a strategy to help incentivize students to enroll and complete,” Freeman said.
The idea originated from the governor’s office, in cooperation with the state board and Idaho institutions, in developing the tuition lock legislation.
Original legislation first contemplated holding institutions harmless by covering the gap between the locked rate for incoming students and the higher rate for subsequent years.
“They were going to cover that gap and I wouldn’t be surprised if ISU did request funding in the next legislative cycle to hold them harmless,” Freeman said.
According to Youde, ISU financial reserves are a factor for taking on this pilot program.
“I think ISU saw that it’s in a favorable position both with the tuition that it charges its resident students and with its ability through its financial reserves to project what the savings would be for students and what they could cover,” Youde said.
Students must continue their enrollment for the four years consecutively with the exception of military students called to active duty, religious missions or humanitarian leave in which case students will be able to return at a later date.
“I think because it’s a pilot project there is going to require some analysis on how this has impacted enrollment, how it impacts students persistence and obviously the impact on the institution, but for the 2016-2017 year they are going to lock that tuition rate,” Freeman said.
