Beginning this semester, Ferris juniors and seniors will be paying more for education.
Any undergraduate student who has taken 56 or more credit hours will see an increase in cost of tuition, according to Ferris’ website.
Teaching upper-division 300 and 400 level classes costs 29 percent more than the lower-division 100 and 200 level courses. Ferris juniors and seniors will be charged more due to the higher cost of instruction.
“[Ferris did this] primarily because of the higher costs of upper-division instruction,” Director of Budgetary Planning and Analysis Sally DePew said. “We looked at the cost for lower-division courses, 100 and 200 courses, and upper-division courses, 300 and 400 courses. That was the primary reason behind it.”
A university-wide student fees committee made the recommendation to increase tuition. The committee believed the increase to be a “modest amount.” President David Eisler supported the raise. The proposal then went to the Board of Trustees for approval.
“As to the mid-year implementation, that was so that the various offices would have time to update information and systems and communicate the change to students,” said DePew.
Michigan residents will have a $5 increase per credit hour while non-Michigan residents will have a $7 increase. International students will have the highest increase of $8 per credit hour.
Transfer students who have received more than 56 credit hours will be charged the higher tuition rate as well.
“I feel like it doesn’t affect you as badly with 14 or less credits but once you hit the maximum credit hours it will start adding up for students,” Ferris pre-dentistry junior Kacey VanCleave.
Undergraduate students who have not exceeded 56 credit hours will not be affected by the tuition differential when taking upper-division courses.
The tuition differential will be a part of the general fund operating budget.
“We use those dollars with our state dollars to support all that we do through the general fund operating budget,” DePew said. “[This is used for] teaching students primarily.”
The tuition differential is a Ferris State University Board of Trustees-approved mandate and is not subject to appeal.