Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

UNLV officials propose student fee hikes

Parents planning to send their kids to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas next year should probably plan on spending more money.

College officials are requesting that a string of fee increases be approved by the Board of Regents next week. They include increases in dormitory fees, health fees and student fees. That is on top of a planned 9 percent tuition increase that was approved in April 2002.

"It's like, ouch," said Wells Yang, a 19-year-old freshman art major who said he is living at home to save money.

Starting this fall for a freshman paying for on-campus housing and meals and taking 12 credit hours, the cost of an average semester would jump from about $3,873 to $4,827 altogether.

"I bet more students are going to drop out now," said Jackie Izawa, 18, a freshman education major. "With these higher rates, it is just going to become worse."

But the cost of running a university is going up. Utilities cost more and revenues have remained stagnant. Students also increasingly demand more services such as additional counseling, shorter wait times when seeing a nurse and nicer amenities for study and play.

"I think the institution has been incredibly careful about increasing student fees and in some areas we've been too careful," said Rebecca Mills, UNLV's vice president for student life. "After careful analysis, we're just seeing the need."

The student housing fee constitutes the largest increase. On-campus housing for new residents would go from $1,964 a semester to $2,450.

The cost of eight meals a day would go from $877 a semester to $1,196. Students would get more for their money next semester, though: The updated meal plan gives students the ability to use a portion of meal dollars at any food vendor on campus, Mills said.

Such changes are likely to meet opposition from students and regents alike. Regents Linda Howard and Steve Sisolak said they are already worried about the quickly rising fees.

"It seems like every other meeting, we raise something," Sisolak said. "Individually, it doesn't seem as large until you look at the entire picture. It's to the point where I think you're going to put a tremendous burden on these students and their families."

Howard objected to the way some of the increases were decided, such as the proposed student fee increase from $54 this semester to $116 in 2004. The increase was approved by the student government after a poll showed that 54 percent of students agreed with the fee.

"I believe that students are split on this issue and they should have an election to decide," Howard said. "That way they can hear from all the students."

The student fee increase would pay for renovations to the Moyer Student Union and the McDermott Physical Education Complex. Amenities such as more study rooms, a bigger ballroom and a game room would be added to the student union. A rock climbing wall, a pool, a sauna and other items would be added to the recreation center.

"I bet if they could get more class sections added by paying for more faculty members, I believe they would take that over adding to a new facility," Howard said.

Students have also asked for more counselors and less of a wait time to see the campus doctor. The proposed health fee increase from $30 to $45 a semester would take care of that, Mills said.

If all of the increases are improved, Nevada students would pay slightly more in tuition and fees than those in California, but less than 14 other states in the Western Interstate Commission of Higher Education.

While issues such as the students fees and health fees are debatable, university officials say the new dormitory fees are a must.

Mills said the university is facing a 35 percent increase in utility costs topped off by the need to pay off bonds used to build and renovate dormitories.

"That would be the place where there would be the biggest impact," Mills said. "Frankly, I don't know what we will do if they don't approve that particular fee."

Students such as Diana De LaRosa, a 19-year-old education freshman living in the Tonopah dorm, she said if fees keep going up, her $10,000 Millennium Scholarship won't last much longer. She plans to move out of the dorm by next year to save money.

"If I get about three roommates, I can do it," De LaRosa said. "I'm becoming a starving student at this point."

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