Western Michigan University’s trustees voted Thursday to raise tuition and fees for in-state undergraduates, and to raise room and board for students in dorms and some apartments.
Tuition for resident undergraduates is going up 4.62 percent. In its agenda, the Board of Trustees said out-of-state undergrads, grad students and fully online students will face a “comparable” increase.
Jan Van Der Kley is Western’s vice president for business and finance. She says the university is on track to stay roughly in the middle when it comes to what Michigan public universities charge for tuition.
"We place eight out of 15," she said. "And looking at where we were last year, and the year before, we’ve maintained our position as eight."
Trustees also approved a 5.5 percent increase in the room and board rate for students living in dorms.
Vice President for Student Affairs Diane Anderson said students in the dorms benefit from various amenities, as well as security measures.
"Several of my staff and I have been having the opportunity to meet with families and parents as part of orientation," said Anderson at the meeting Thursday, "and campus safety is a huge priority for our families."
Trustees also set room and board rates for students living in on-campus apartments. Residents of the recently-built Arcadia Flats complex will see no increase, while students who live in the Stadium Drive Apartments will see a 1 percent bump. Students in Western View apartments will pay 4.5 percent more for room and board in 2023-2024.
Anderson said the new rates are competitive with those of private, off-campus apartment complexes. She added that the Stadium Drive Apartments, though "refreshed several years ago," are "on the older side."
"So we didn't feel like it was appropriate to go any higher than that," she said.
