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Idaho State Board approves tuition increase for 4 year institution

Posted at 11:36 PM, Apr 19, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-20 01:36:44-04

If you attend a state college in Idaho, your tuition is going up starting this fall.

On Wednesday, the Idaho state board of education voted to increase tuition and fees for full-time undergraduate resident and nonresident students at each of Idaho's four-year institutions. 

Boise State students Samuel Robertson and Esperansa Gomez are some of many college students across the Gem state that will have to fork over additional cash toward tuition next semester. Robertson said he can not afford any extras.

"My parents are right in between this gap of two wealthy but not wealthy enough to pay for my college, so I don't get enough financial aid to cover everything," said Robertson.

The requests were based on increased costs of doing business including a growing student body and an increase in the cost of employee compensation recently approved by the legislature. 

"These sorts of decisions are difficult for the board because they have to balance the cost that is incurred by students against what it takes to operate these institutions in an efficient and productive manner," said Michael Keckler, Idaho State Board of Education spokesperson.

BSU, for example, will increase tuition and fees by 5 percent for all students, whereas the University of Idaho will increase the resident tuition fee by 5 percent and the non-resident tuition by 8 percent.

Robertson did the math and said he is likely to see a two hundred dollar increase.

"That's like a month of my rent," said Robertson.

He said he has to count his pennies and make up the difference by eating ramen noodles and buying school supplies on craigslist, while Gomez has not quite figured things out she says she might have to get a third job.

"I'm just trying to stay positive at this point," said Gomez.

BSU received its state funding allocations for student growth this year but over the past several years that has not always been the case. In some years university grew, but the state couldn't afford the formula for funding.

The university received 99.8 million dollars in funding.