2008 Woodie Awards
Spring, summer tuition stays at fall rate
Promise extended to incoming freshmen, transfers
By: Mike Ellis
Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
There will be no tuition hike for incoming spring and summer 2008 students.
Central Michigan University's Board of Trustees also extended the CMU Promise at its meeting Thursday.
The board carried over the fall 2007 rate of $304 per undergraduate tuition hour. Incoming freshmen and transfer students will pay $9,120 for 30 credits.
The Promise guarantees tuition will not be raised for students for up to five years.
The board approved the tuition rate for incoming students after having delayed setting the spring tuition during the July 12 meeting because of uncertainty of the state budget at the time.
"As the (University) President (Michael Rao) indicated in July, there is still a lot of uncertainty about the budget," said Barrie Wilkes, interim vice president of finances and administrative services.
Board Chair Jeff Caponigro said continuing the Promise and not increasing tuition are important to the board.
"(The Promise) has always been a good idea. It's a very popular program with both students and parents," said Caponigro, whose son is a junior at CMU.
But Michigan's economic state means the board will be looking at whether the Promise should continue to be extended to students beginning in fall 2008.
"We know we're going to take a good hard look at the Promise," he said.
The tuition agreement, Caponigro emphasized, would continue for students already covered by the Promise despite any potential changes. If the agreement is revoked, only future students or those over the "four plus one" year mark would pay different tuition rates.
"It was believed that the Promise, along with an improving state economy, would provide a stable base for the university," Wilkes said.
Rao gets a raise
Trustees also approved a 3 percent raise to University President Michael Rao's base salary.
Rao now makes $293,550 a year for his base salary. His contract also includes deferred compensation of $15,000 a year and annual retention bonuses.
Rao signed a contract in March 2006 that runs until Dec. 31, 2012.
"I think based on what has been accomplished since President Rao has been here, he's clearly the leader in the MAC (Mid-American Conference) and in Michigan," said vice chair John Kulhavi.
Kulhavi said Rao still is not the highest paid university president in the MAC or in Michigan.
"I concur with Trustee Kulhavi, it's absolutely critical that we are competitive with other MAC schools," said Trustee Gail Torreano.
CMU faculty also recently received a 3 percent raise.
Orientation fee increases
Orientation fees for incoming students also were increased for the first time since 1996, from $125 to $175. The money pays for orientation programs and job recruitment.
news@cm-life.com
Central Michigan University's Board of Trustees also extended the CMU Promise at its meeting Thursday.
The board carried over the fall 2007 rate of $304 per undergraduate tuition hour. Incoming freshmen and transfer students will pay $9,120 for 30 credits.
The Promise guarantees tuition will not be raised for students for up to five years.
The board approved the tuition rate for incoming students after having delayed setting the spring tuition during the July 12 meeting because of uncertainty of the state budget at the time.
"As the (University) President (Michael Rao) indicated in July, there is still a lot of uncertainty about the budget," said Barrie Wilkes, interim vice president of finances and administrative services.
Board Chair Jeff Caponigro said continuing the Promise and not increasing tuition are important to the board.
"(The Promise) has always been a good idea. It's a very popular program with both students and parents," said Caponigro, whose son is a junior at CMU.
But Michigan's economic state means the board will be looking at whether the Promise should continue to be extended to students beginning in fall 2008.
"We know we're going to take a good hard look at the Promise," he said.
The tuition agreement, Caponigro emphasized, would continue for students already covered by the Promise despite any potential changes. If the agreement is revoked, only future students or those over the "four plus one" year mark would pay different tuition rates.
"It was believed that the Promise, along with an improving state economy, would provide a stable base for the university," Wilkes said.
Rao gets a raise
Trustees also approved a 3 percent raise to University President Michael Rao's base salary.
Rao now makes $293,550 a year for his base salary. His contract also includes deferred compensation of $15,000 a year and annual retention bonuses.
Rao signed a contract in March 2006 that runs until Dec. 31, 2012.
"I think based on what has been accomplished since President Rao has been here, he's clearly the leader in the MAC (Mid-American Conference) and in Michigan," said vice chair John Kulhavi.
Kulhavi said Rao still is not the highest paid university president in the MAC or in Michigan.
"I concur with Trustee Kulhavi, it's absolutely critical that we are competitive with other MAC schools," said Trustee Gail Torreano.
CMU faculty also recently received a 3 percent raise.
Orientation fee increases
Orientation fees for incoming students also were increased for the first time since 1996, from $125 to $175. The money pays for orientation programs and job recruitment.
news@cm-life.com
