The Utah state board of regents approved all tuition increase proposals including a 3.5 percent increase for Dixie State University at the annual board of regents’ meeting March 30 at Dixie State University.
DSU proposed a second tier tuition rate increase of 2.5 percent on top of the first tier 1.5 percent increase proposal.
According to a board of regents meeting agenda item, the tuition increase will raise tuition cost by $150 for full-time, graduate, resident students for the upcoming academic year excluding the summer semester, bringing the total tuition cost from $4,308 to $4,458. This means going from $2,154 a semester to $2,229 a semester, and from $6,888 to $7,128 a semester for full-time, nonresident students.
DSU also made requests for an online tuition fee schedule and differential tuition for nursing, dental hygiene and accountancy degrees.
Jordon Sharp, chief marketing and communication officer, said, “DSU’s two percent second-tier tuition increase requested for FY19 is anticipated to yield approximately $600,000 of additional funding for the campus.”
Sharp noted students who receive financial aid will be eligible to receive an increase of up to $175 for the upcoming year.
Sharp said the second-tier increase is supported by Utah’s System of Higher Education because the additional funds will help keep DSU in line with other Utah institutions and it will help DSU keep up with its rapid enrollment increases.
Andy Velasco, a sophomore criminal justice major from Los Angeles, said the increase will not affect him in a significant way, but he still hopes some of the increased funds will be allotted to better serve all students on campus.
“I hope there’s an improvement on resources like the Tutoring Center and the Writing Center,” Velasco said. “I feel like they’re helpful, but they can only handle so many students…”
Velasco said he’d like to see student resources on campus expanded to be able to help more students than they are now. He said student resource improvements would make him happier with the campus, along with updated dining options on campus.
Sharp said, “The university has increased efforts to raise scholarships dollars for our students and has raised a record amount of money for needs-based scholarships for the upcoming year.”
DSU’s tuition still remain well below the western-region average.
President Richard “Biff” Williams said, “We are striving to maintain affordability while simultaneously increasing quality and variety in our academic programs.”
