May 1, 2015

Page 1

LIFE CENTRAL MICHIGAN

friday, may 1, 2015 | MOUNT PLEASANT, MICH. | ISSUE NO. 85 VOL. 96

Life in brief administration Board of Trustees: Meeting Notebook On Thursday morning, the Central Michigan University Board of Trustees met to discuss the importance of continuing to grow Global Campus, as competitors are catching up to CMU’s progress. A motion was passed to create a committee that compares Global Campus to competitive schools and identifies where changes and improvements need to be made. The report will be presented Nov. 15. Executive Director of Institutional Research Robert Roe presented on how CMU compares to peer institutions. Research revealed that CMU is most similar to Ball State University, Bowling Green State University, Eastern Michigan University and others. Findings were based on total faculty and staff, undergraduate enrollment and previous peer status. Least similar to CMU was Appalachian State University, Boise State University, Georgia Southern University and others. Psychology faculty Sharon B. Johnson, Director of University Events Robert Ebner, Political Science faculty Delbert Ringquist and Director of Field Services Edith Wirtshafter were granted Emeritus Rank. This is given to CMU faculty and staff who have reached full professorial status before retirement.

395 $ Malachi Barrett Editor-in-Chief

“I think affordability is one of the key issues we face as a board and as an institution.” Tricia Keith, Trustee

Read CM Life online this summer

university SAPA Adviser retires after 40 years A retirement reception for Steve Thompson, director of Sexual Aggression Services and adviser to Sexual Aggression Peer Advocates, will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. May 7 in the Student Activity Center. Thompson has worked with Central Michigan University for more than 40 years, devoting himself to educating students on sexual assault issues.

- Zahra Ahmad,

News Editor

LIFE INSIDE

Art students participate in the ‘Press of Death’     »PAGE 2A EDITORIAL: Remember to relax and recharge this summer     »PAGE 4A COLUMN: Read how CM Life is adapting in the fall semester     »PAGE 5A

per credit hour

Trustees raise undergraduate tuition 2.6 percent, voice frustration with state funding

student life

-Sydney Smith, Managing Editor

An incredible year’s worth of sports moments comes to a close   »PAGE 7A

IF YOU’RE TAKING CLASSES NEXT YEAR, PREPARE TO PAY

-Sydney Smith, Managing Editor

Throughout the summer, Central Michigan Life will work to keep students informed through online coverage. Students are encouraged to follow CM Life on Facebook, Twitter and the website, cm-life.com. There are several events that will have a direct impact on Central Michigan University students. These include Board of Trustees meetings, construction projects on campus and city happenings. The summer editorial staff will work to make sure students are informed about changes to CMU, while providing interesting and comprehensive coverage of happenings in Mount Pleasant. CM Life does not publish a print edition during the summer.

SPORTS IN REVIEW

“We’re coming out and giving our families and our students an opportunity to know where they’re at early enough to make good decisions.” William Kanine, Board Chair

On-campus undergraduate tuition for the 2015-16 academic year will increase 2.6 percent after a 6-1 vote at the April 30 Board of Trustees meeting. Newly-appointed trustee Rich Studley was the lone dissenting vote against the motion, which raises the price of tuition to $395 per credit hour, though he supported increases in graduate and College of Medicine tuition. “After listening to the discussion today and studying all of the information that has been provided, I have reluctantly concluded that I am not able to support an increase in undergraduate tuition,” Studley told the board. “I think our value of being a lower cost-effective, but high quality, university is a difficult, winning strategy. My concern is that the increase is well above the rate of inflation, so the burden falls on our youngest customers.” CMU ranked fourth among Michigan’s 15 public universities in credit hour rates last year, behind Michigan State University which charges $440 per credit hour. University President George Ross said pricing CMU out of reach for some to students is a constant worry of his. “The pressure on students and families has to be weighed against a quality education,” he said. “There are cost pressures on (CMU) that we don’t control.” Global Campus tuition was set at $395 per credit hour.

Master’s and specialist tuition was set at $527 per credit hour and doctoral tuition was set at $605 per credit hour. The annual program tuition rate for CMED was set at $39,532 for residents and $73,522 for outof-state students. Room and board rates were set at $9,088, a 3.5 percent increase from last year. Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services Barrie Wilkes, said when setting tuition, the university considers the access of education to Michigan students as a priority. Wilkes said CMU ranks 11th of the 15 state public universities in total cost of attendance. CMU’s 11.2 percent cumulative five-year tuition increase is the lowest among Michigan public universities. Wayne State is the highest, increasing tuition 26.9 percent since 2011. Diminished state funding for universities has placed the burden on CMU to find alternative ways to balance their budget, Ross said. Tuition comprised 56 percent of the operating budget in 2014-15, while state appropriations was responsible for 17 percent of the budget. CMU ranks 10th in the amount of state funding it receives — about $3,647 per student. Wilkes said the most CMU has ever received in state appropriations was slightly over $90 million in 2001-02. If that amount was increased for inflation, Wilkes said the tuition proposal would have been $100 per credit hour less. This year, CMU received $79 million in state appropriations. w Classes | 2A

“We need to be aware of the debt level students are getting into, and we need to try to help that as best we can. We’re doing that by holding tuition down.” Robert Wardrop, Trustee

“My concern is that the increase is well above the rate of inflation, so the burden falls on our youngest customers.” Rich Studley, Trustee

Tuition increase causes worry among students By Sydney Smith Managing Editor

Danielle Block is concerned her parents will struggle paying for her two little sisters’ college if tuition keeps increasing. “My sister is a freshman here, so that’s added stress for my parents,” the Grandville senior said. “I have another sister in high school, so who knows what (tuition) will be like then.” Block’s worry is in response to a 2.6 percent increase in tuition for undergraduate students, approved Thursday morning by the Central Michigan University Board of Trustees. Tuition was set at $395 per credit hour for 2015-16. During 2014-15, tuition was $385 per credit hour. Some students said the increase would not be damaging to their college finances. Connecticut sophomore Caroline Fitzpatrick said the increase might not require her to cut back on other expenses. “If it’s that small of an amount of money, it won’t make that much of a difference, but if it keeps increasing every year (I might have to cut back),” Fitzpatrick said. President George Ross said students should keep in mind increases in tuition are an investment in students and faculty. He said students should write to their legislatures, because CMU only receives w Tuition | 2A

Source: Central Michigan University


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