May 31, 2017

Trustees’ committee OKs Purdue tuition, conceptual budget

Tuition and fee change drops WL campus resident-student rate below $10,000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue will have a sixth consecutive year of frozen tuition rates on the West Lafayette campus and announced a fitness and wellness fee will decrease by $10, meaning Indiana resident students will have a base tuition and fee rate of less than $10,000 per year.

The Executive Committee of Purdue University’s Board of Trustees on Wednesday (May 31) approved the base tuition freeze for what will be the fifth and sixth consecutive years, covering the 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic sessions. In addition to the freeze, the committee also approved the fitness and wellness fee reduction over the next two academic years.

Acting on behalf of the full board, the Executive Committee held the public hearing to consider proposed tuition and fees to be paid by students attending any of the university's campuses and to approve the all-funds conceptual operating budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

“Today, Purdue receives more applications and is home to more students than ever in our history,” Purdue President Mitch Daniels said. “It starts with world-class academics, but a big factor is that students and families know we will work hard to keep that excellent education within their financial reach.”

The 2018-19 academic year will mark the sixth straight year of frozen tuition, and, with other cost reductions, the total cost of attendance continues to be lower than in 2012, with lower room and board rates and significant discounts on books and supplies through the university’s Amazon partnership. Purdue estimates families will have saved more than $400 million on educational expenses, versus what they would have paid if Purdue had increased fees at national averages. Those savings have helped spur a 30 percent decrease in student borrowing since 2012 despite having more students on campus.

The fitness and wellness fee was originally instituted to support the construction and operation of the France A. Córdova Recreational Sports Center. A review revealed that the initial fee estimates generate an annual surplus after construction debt and operational costs are repaid, making the reduction possible.

The Executive Committee also approved the proposed all-funds conceptual operating budget for fiscal year 2018, which will provide for a 2.5 percent merit pay increase for employees at West Lafayette, with 0.5 percent contingent on supporting institutional priorities. The budget also includes investments in the university’s Purdue Moves and Think Summer initiatives.

At the Northwest and Fort Wayne campuses, faculty and staff hired prior to Jan. 1, 2017, will be eligible for a cash payment of up to 2 percent of their salary that will be made over two payments (targeted for July 2017 and January 2018).

At West Lafayette, tuition and fees will drop to $9,992 for resident students and $28,794 for out-of-state students. International students will pay $30,794.

Undergraduates in a new data science major will be assessed the existing computer science differential fee of $1,025 per semester. In fiscal year 2019, “new to campus” students enrolled in the Honors College will be assessed a differential fee of $100 per semester.

Purdue's tuition and fees currently rank third lowest out of 13 public Big Ten universities for resident undergraduates and fourth lowest for nonresident students.

Affordability, according to Purdue officials, drives student interest in the West Lafayette campus. In-state applications for the upcoming academic year are up 7 percent, and the incoming class is expected to be the largest in recent years with the most Hoosier freshmen since 2008.

Tuition at Purdue’s regional campuses will follow the Indiana Commission for Higher Education’s recommended increase of up to 1.4 percent over the biennium. Tuition at Purdue’s regional campuses is currently assessed on a per-credit-hour basis. The budget proposal calls for establishing a “banded” tuition range of 12-18 credit hours to incentivize four-year time to degree completion, beginning in fiscal year 2019.

A summary of the fee proposal is available online. The regional campus annual tuition rates for resident and nonresident undergraduate students, respectively, are:

* Purdue Northwest – $7,581 and $17,128.50 in 2017-18; $7,686 and $17,367 in 2018-19.

* IPFW – $8,329.50 and $20,004 in 2017-18; $8,449.50 and $20,287.50 in 2018-19.

The all-funds conceptual operating budget for fiscal year 2018 supports educational and operating expenditures and is based on operating appropriations contained in the state’s 2017-19 biennial spending plan. The state appropriation was down overall 2.4 percent for West Lafayette to $236.2 million, up 2.9 percent for Purdue Northwest and up 0.8 percent for the Fort Wayne campus.

For fiscal year 2018, the General Assembly appropriated $1 million in new funds for projects focused on Purdue Moves initiatives and $1.5 million in new funds for Think Summer. Over the biennium, the spending plan also calls for more than $131 million in system-wide capital expenditures for specific projects.

Trustees endorsed the following total operating expenditures for fiscal year 2018:

* At the West Lafayette campus: $2.083 billion.

* At Purdue Northwest: $170 million.

* At Fort Wayne: $166 million. 

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