The Central Michigan University Board of Trustees approved a 4.6 percent tuition increase in July, or $450 per 30 credit hours. We tell you what you could have done with that kind of money.

Chelsea Jacobs is like many of the bright-faced incoming Central Michigan University students.

Yet, classes and college life are not the only things Rochester Hills freshman is anticipating.

And her feelings may be shared around the state.

Students are favoring Central Michigan University’s new payment plan more than last year’s, which most did not acknowledge.

Trying to understand the tuition billing statement can give students headaches.

Thanks to the Office of Student Account Services and University Billing, working with it just got a little easier.

The days of buying textbooks from one source are over.

For Kaitlin Carlson, buying books online just makes economical sense.

“I saved over $300 this year,” she said.

Those who wish to apply for Bridge Cards will no longer have to visit the Department of Human Services.

At the end of August, they can handle it online, said Mark Stevens, Isabella County director of the Department of Human Services.

Students working on campus this fall will clock in and out of work differently because of a campus-wide upgrade to the Timelink system.

The changes began in January 2009, when about half of Central Michigan University’s campus was still using an older version of the system. When the fall semester starts, the entire campus will use the new system.

Turnitin.com has been replaced by SafeAssign, a plagiarism prevention service offered by Blackboard.

Duane Kleinhardt, manager of IT Communications, said since it is a part of Blackboard licensing, CMU is eliminating the contract with Turnitin.com, which cost $23,329 last year.