For Release December 13
Board of Regents Addresses Tuition and Fee Issues
VERMILLION-Meeting today at the University of South Dakota, the Board of Regents approved a number of recommendations from a system wide committee charged with restructuring the determination of the tuition and fee schedule for the public universities. The Board approved the concept of system wide standardization of state-support tuition rates and the University Support Fee, developing common system definitions for the University Support Fee (USF) and General Activity Fee (GAF), and changing the General Activity Fee and Student Health rates to a per credit hour charge on all credit hours. These changes are to be reviewed by the Council of Presidents and Superintendents who have been asked to prepare an implementation plan for the changes.
The proposed tuition rate adjustments will standardize rates for all system universities. Board of Regents President Karl Wegner said that, "This is a move in the right direction, in our unified system, there is no need for separate tuition and fee rates." Historically, tuition rates at Black Hills State University, Dakota State University, and Northern State University have been less than those at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, South Dakota State University, and the University of South Dakota.
The Board adopted the standard definitions proposed by the Committee for the USF and GAF, as well as a standard rate based on a per credit hour rate for the USF across the system. The USF supports the instructional and administrative functions of the universities, such as libraries, museums, financial aid offices, and computer centers. The GAF supports student functions related to co-curricular activities and operations of the student union buildings, such as student government, student publications, cultural and entertainment events, and sports activities. In addition, the Board approved the Committee's recommendation to assess the GAF and Student Health Fee on a per credit hour basis applicable to all credit hours taken on campus. This is a change from the previous rate structure, which was based on a 12 credit hour maximum.
Yesterday, the Board received a report on the EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) Program which was initiated by the National Science Foundation in the late 1970s to assist certain states in becoming more competitive in obtaining federal research dollars. In 1989, South Dakota received initial funding for the implementation of EPSCoR, which has focused on partnerships between USD, SDSU, and SDSM&T to improve the economic and intellectual status of South Dakota. Governor Janklow has committed $500,000 in state matching funds for the $1.5 million grant from the federal government to continue the EPSCoR Program in South Dakota. Program Director Royce Engstrom commented that, "Research is vital to so many in South Dakota, some without even knowing, farmers, business people, educators, and those suffering illnesses-all South Dakotans have benefited from the research done at our public universities."
Some examples of current research at South Dakota's public universities include:
The Board's next meeting will be in Spearfish on January 16-17, 1997.