4.7 Subject: TUITION AND FEES
Adopted: September 12, 1996
Amended: November 14, 1996
Amended: March 13, 2000

Applicability

This policy applies to the annual determination of tuition and mandatory fee rates for resident and nonresident undergraduate and graduate students. It does not apply to professional school tuition and fee rates, branch campuses, nor to miscellaneous course fees that may be assessed on an individual per course basis. This is intended to be a multi-year policy to be reviewed at the end of three years.

Policy

1. Assumptions

1.1 Factors to be considered in setting annual tuition and fee rates include: access issues, levels of state appropriations and tuition credit, availability of need-based financial aid, charges at peer and regional institutions, national trends, economic conditions, recognition of the social benefits of higher education, and parameters defined in this policy.

1.2 Need-based financial assistance will be available to mitigate the effects of any increase in tuition and fees thereby assuring access to the University for qualified students who demonstrate the greatest financial need.

1.3 These guidelines are established by the Board of Regents in good faith and are subject to change in the event of unforeseen fluctuations in funding requirements, including major changes in the level of state general fund appropriations for higher education.

2. Objectives

2.1 To provide a rationale for the University's tuition decisions.

2.2 To provide predictability and consistency with respect to tuition and fees as a guide to students and their families.

2.3 To assure that students and the state continue to share the cost of education at UNM in reasonable proportions.

2.4 To ensure that tuition and fee decisions are consistent with the goals and objectives of the University.

2.5 To be sensitive to relevant national and regional tuition and policy trends.

2.6 To ensure that current New Mexico economic conditions of the consumer are considered in establishing tuition policy.

3. Definitions

3.1 Average Expenditure Per FTE Student

The average expenditure per FTE student is defined herein as Formula Instruction and General Budgeted Expenditures, plus Mandatory Student Fee Revenue outside the I and G category, per FTE student.

3.2 Student Share

The student share is the proportion of the cost of education which is paid by the undergraduate student through tuition and fees.

3.3 Tuition Credit

An assumed level of tuition revenue which is subtracted from Instruction and General formula funding in order to calculate the State General Fund Appropriation for an institution of higher education. The designated level of the credit rate change is recommended by the Commission on Higher Education and set by the Legislature with the understanding that actual tuition rates are determined by individual institutional governing boards and may differ from the tuition credit.

3.4 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)

Student credit hours for the academic year divided by 30 for undergraduates and 24 for graduates.

4. Annual Change in Tuition and Fees Rate Guidelines

4.1 Full-Time Resident Undergraduate Rates

For full-time resident undergraduates, the percentage change in combined tuition and fee rates typically wills be equal to the average percentage change in two indices: higher education price index (HEPI) and per capita income for New Mexico. This will be the standard methodology for determining such changes. The Regents, however, will consider larger or smaller changes if any of the following occur:

a. Student share is less than 22 percent or greater than 27 percent.

b. The percent that the legislature increases the tuition credit exceeds the average of the two indices.

c. Availability of need-based grant aid significantly increases or decreases.

d. The Regents determine that unforeseen events require reconsideration of tuition and fee rates.

4.2. Full-Time Non-resident Undergraduate Rates

Full-time non-resident undergraduate tuition and fees rate changes will be computed on the same basis as full-time, resident undergraduate rates.

4.3. Full-Time Graduate and Professional Rates

Full-time resident graduate tuition and fees will be equal to 110 percent of full-time resident undergraduate tuition and fees. Full-time non-resident graduate tuition and fees will be equal to 103 percent of full-time non-resident undergraduate tuition and fees.

Medicine, Law and Pharm. D. tuition and fees rates will be adjusted annually taking into consideration the different costs of education for these professional programs.

Resident dissertation tuition per semester will be a flat rate adjusted annually, taking into consideration the costs of graduate education.

Non-resident dissertation tuition per semester for up to 6 credit hours will be the resident flat rate; dissertation tuition per semester exceeding 6 hours (7 or more hours) will be equal to the flat rate plus the non-resident graduate rate for each credit hour in excess of 6 hours.

4.4 Non-Degree Status Rates

Non-degree tuition and fees rates will be equal to undergraduate rates, respective to residency status, for a student who does not have a baccalaureate or higher degree.

Non-degree tuition and fees rates will be equal to graduate rates, respective to residency status, for a student who has a baccalaureate or higher degree.

5. Financial Aid

The Regents will seek to increase need-based student financial aid grants from various sources to assist students and families who are not able to afford increases in the cost of education.

Implementation

Taking into consideration recommendations of the President, the Board approves tuition and fee rates annually. The fee portion consists of the following designated fees paid by all students: student activity fee; facility fee; student government fee (separate amounts for ASUNM and GPSA).

In setting the tuition and fee rates, the Board approves the total tuition and fee rates paid by various categories of students, as well as the individual rates for tuition and for each of the three components of the fee.

Upon consultation with the Student Fee Review Board, the President shall approve the allocation of the student activity fee among various activities. The President shall adopt administrative policies and procedures to implement the Student Fee Review Board and the process for recommending and approving the allocation of the student activity fee.

References

The ASUNM student government fee is set out in the ASUNM Constitution.

Comments should be sent to BRPM@UNM.edu

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The University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico