Universities tighten belts to keep students costs down

BOISE - The hammer fell three years ago, after the state Board of Education clamped down on student tuition and fee hikes in the double digits.

State universities were told to keep Idaho higher education affordable. No more 12 percent increases like in 2002, or the 10 percent increase in 2003. No more relying on student fees to make up for gaps in state funding.

"The message was pretty clear," said Chris Rosenbaum, executive director of the Boise State University budget office. So the state's three public universities will go to the board on Monday with requests to raise fees between 5 percent and 7.9 percent.

The requests, if approved by the board, will reflect the third year that state universities have received an increase of less than 10 percent.

But limiting student fee increases has come with a price. Academic programs, the hiring of full-time faculty, lighting and ventilation systems, even the clearing of sidewalks, have all taken a turn on the chopping block.

Just ask those who crunch the numbers. "Basically, what happens is a number of our operations are under pressure," said James Fletcher, vice president for finance and administration at Idaho State University.

With limited money coming in from student revenues, Idaho State is holding off on plans to expand its nursing program. The university also doesn't have the dollars to increase faculty and staff salaries, which are now 15 percent to 20 percent below the national average for similarly sized institutions.

"There's only so much you can do with fees," Fletcher said. "It's not the kind of thing that's really moving us ahead with new programs." If the proposed increases are approved, Boise State in-state students who now pay fees of $4,410 would pay $4,678 next year; in-state students at Idaho State who now pay $4,400 would pay $4,708; and University of Idaho in-state students who pay $4,410 in fees would pay $4,760 next year.

State money makes up a huge chunk of university budgets, and lawmakers set aside more than $285 million for public colleges and universities next year - up 7.9 percent from the year before. Still, student fees are crucial when making up for declines in state funding during past years, Rosenbaum said.

For instance, fees accounted for 21 percent of the total $68.9 million Boise State budget in 1997, but now make up 37 percent of the university's $127 million budget for this year, Rosenbaum said.

When revenue from students isn't an option, campus budget administrators try being creative to save money. Boise State has switched to lights that use less energy, replaced older ventilation systems with ones that are more efficient, and relied more on non-tenured professors during the past three years, Rosenbaum said.

It costs about $50,000 to pay a full professor to teach nine credits a semester for one year at the Boise campus, Rosenbaum said. An adjunct, or temporary, professor costs less than half that amount.

"We're actually trying to move off of that because we've had some accreditation issues," Rosenbaum said, pointing out some accreditation agencies require students to be taught by a certain number of full professors. "You never want to jeopardize that."

The University of Idaho has delayed hiring plans and kept support offices minimally staffed to keep student costs low, said Lloyd Mues, UI finance director.

Sidewalks were unplowed or closed off during winter after 45 maintenance employees were laid off a few years ago. All of those positions remain unfilled.

"We've reduced and trimmed and done about as much as we can do," Mues said. "We're at the stage now where if we continue not getting what we need, we're going to have to cut some things." Bryan Wheat, Idaho State student body vice president, still thinks the proposed increases are too high, but he also acknowledges some programs have suffered from the belt-tightening.

"I do think things are a bit leaner than they are at other places," said Wheat, 24, a senior in his fifth year majoring in biology. Sometimes when you have to take a harder time finding classes offered in only one semester."

The Board of Education decided to keep student fee hikes below 10 percent for the past three years largely out of concern that the increases were putting the price of education out of reach for some students, said Paul Agidius, state board vice president.

But the solution could also lead to barriers for students as it forced universities to cut down on class offerings.

"I have heard students say that they thought it was harder to get classes when they need them," said Agidius, a Moscow attorney. "I'm sure that's part of it."