According to an article from cbsnews.com, Mississippi State University won approval from the College Board and IHL Board to add a $50 per semester fee to tuition.
MSU estimates annually the fee will collect $1.7 million.
The money accumulated from this new fee will be used for the building costs of a classroom and parking garage, of which the total cost is around $37 million.
The money will fund 90,000 square feet of new classroom space.
The parking garage will be 60,000 square feet.
The article said the fee will not apply to online MSU students.
The additional $100 per year fee will take effect in the fall of 2013, on top of a tuition increase that has already been approved.
MSU in-state tuition will increase to $6,622, a 7.6 percent climb in price from this year.
This school year, MSU raised tuition 6 percent.
According to the article, President Mark Keenum said he would rather the fee be transparent so students, parents and family would know what the money will be used for.
He also said MSU has $13 million in bond money to put toward the buildings and plans to use the money from this new fee for the other $24 million.
Bill Kibler, vice president of student affairs, said the fee is a logical and efficient way to ensure the university collects money for this project.
“A fee like this creates a guaranteed source of revenue,” he said. “In order to build buildings on campus, there is really only one way to finance buildings like that, and that’s by selling bonds.”
Kibler said MSU cannot always depend on bond revenue, so Keenum looked for an alternative in order to increase revenue for the new buildings.
“The state of Mississippi has stopped selling bonds, in fact we got no bond funding last year,” he said. “The president was looking forward for a guaranteed source of revenue regardless of bond funding.”
Kibler also said the money collected from the fee can be used for an assortment of future additions to the university as it continues to grow.
“The fee money can be used for other projects in the future to benefit the students in other ways besides just classrooms,” he said.
Kibler said despite an increase in tuition cost, this fee will be very beneficial to students.
“I think when people start to see the plans for the buildings they will be very excited about it,” he said. “It’s going to be a great addition to our campus.”
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IHL board approves new fee
EMMA CRAWFORD
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November 19, 2012
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