The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees today demonstrated its support for continued transformation led by a strategic plan that focuses on investment and innovation. Trustees approved a 2018-19 tuition and fees schedule that will generate additional investment dollars while preserving NMU’s longtime rank of second-lowest tuition and fees among Michigan’s public universities. The combined average cost for full-time resident undergraduates will be $5,280.50 per semester, an increase of $245 per semester from last year’s rate.
Northern’s rate also adheres to the tuition restraint language in preliminary state budget proposals. If the final higher education appropriation bill includes a revised dollar cap, NMU will adjust accordingly.
“This recommendation enables us to invest in innovative programs and initiatives that enhance the academic experience for students, while maintaining relative affordability among state schools,” said Gavin Leach, vice president for Finance and Administration. “We appreciate that the state proposals again extend beyond the percentage-based tuition restraint language and include the hard dollar cap option instituted in fall 2017. This enables lower-cost universities like Northern the ability to invest in initiatives to advance their goals.”
Nonresident undergraduate tuition will increase by the same amount and graduate tuition will increase by $24 per credit hour.
The board also agreed that the budget for university operations be continued at the 2016-17 level until a new general fund budget is approved, except for increases required by existing or newly negotiated union contracts.
In other action, the board:
-Approved the following new academic programs: an athletic training master’s degree, effective summer 2019; an early childhood education master’s degree, effective fall 2018; a social work master’s degree, effective fall 2019; and a Native American community services associate degree, effective fall, 2018.
-Agreed to the following program deletions, effective this summer: an associate degree in respiratory therapy and master’s degrees in criminal justice and nursing.
-Approved the following capital and long-term maintenance projects with a total cost of more than $250,000: Summit Street Apartments demolition, $450,000; Luther O. Gant Hall demolition, $680,000; Lydia M. Olson Library interior update-design services, $275,000; and south campus irrigation, $250,000.
-Agreed to fund the Eco Reps, a peer-to-peer student sustainability organization, on a one-year experimental basis for $20,000 per semester to explore the viability of a potential student fee to support campus sustainability efforts.
-Authorized using the $25,352 in service fees collected by the AAUP faculty union as part of their prior contracts as an endowment for scholarships.
-Approved the following changes to course and program fees: remove the cross-country skiing and mountain biking course fee; a $1 per credit increase in the differential tuition for business, clinical lab sciences and nursing; a course fee increase of $1 per credit for music, natural sciences and technology and occupational sciences; a new $55.50 per credit Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program fee to cover the cost of clinical preceptors; and a refundable student recreation pass fee increase of $3 per semester.
-Agreed to donate old furniture valued at about $50,000 to Marquette County Habitat for Humanity.
-Renamed the Department of Public Safety and Police Services as two distinct units: the NMU Police Department and NMU Safety Department.
-Appointed the following individuals as board members for public school academies. Unless otherwise indicated, they are reappointments with terms expiring June 30, 2021: Kimberly Hedges, Bahweting Public School Academy; Art Bone, Burton Glen Academy; Sharla Conlon, East Shore Leadership Academy; David Bearss, Darlene Johnson and Valerie Emerson, Francis Reh Public School Academy; Tondra Worthy and George Trapp, George Crockett Academy; Crystal Lea and Marilyn Shawano, Nah Tah Wahsh Public School Academy; Bruce Roberts, North Star Academy; Patty Hines (new appointment through June 30, 2020), Mark Horvath and Juanita Bell, South Pointe Scholars Academy; and Gregory Stevenson, Walton Public School Academy.