UM board approves tuition increase

The University of Mobile’s (UM) board of trustees approved a $19.6 million budget for 2007–2008 and tuition increases for 2008–2009 during its October board meeting.

UM President Mark Foley said among the “paradigm shifts” that occurred at the university during the past four years is a move to bring the school’s extremely low tuition more in line with similar private universities in the region.

He also said keeping the university affordable is a priority.
“We have adjusted tuition over the past several years in order to bring the university to a level comparable with other schools in the regional independent market. Now (after this increase) we will slow down over the next two to three years and simply make tuition adjustments in line with inflation,” Foley said.

“We will shift our attention to driving enrollment back to the 1,800 range in the next few years, as we continue to solicit funds for scholarship development to keep the university affordable and help families who understand the value of a private Christian higher education.”

Tuition increases include:

• A 5.6 percent increase in undergraduate tuition for students taking 12 to 17 hours to $6,750 per semester from $6,390.
• A 10.5 percent increase in graduate tuition to $420 per hour from $380. Graduate tuition has historically been lower than undergraduate at UM, and officials are gradually reversing that over a period of several years.
• A 5.4 percent increase in Center for Adult Programs tuition to $385 per hour from $365.
• A 2.4 percent increase in board to $1,475 per semester from $1,440.
• A 0.5 percent increase in room charges for Arendall, Bedsole and Ingram residence halls and a 7.4 percent increase in room charges for Avery Woods Cottages to $1,955 per semester for all of the university’s older housing.
• A 2.5 percent increase in room charges for the new Samford and Faulkner residence halls to $2,185 per semester from $2,130.
• Eliminate the $25 housing application fee; reduce the parking fee to $15 from $25; change the application fee for undergraduates to $50 from $30 for paper applications and to $25 for online applications; and change the technology fee for summer term to $33 from $18 for 6 to 11 hours and to $60 for 12 hours or more.
• Foley also said his report to the board included an overview of plans for a $10 million student center funded through a $14.7 million-plus capital campaign that is in the preliminary quiet phase. (UM)