Every term, students each pay the University thousands of dollars in tuition and fees that are funneled to salaries, student groups and campus projects, among other things.
Yet many students don’t know where the fees they pay go or to what degree their tuition and fees support the University’s operations.
Last year, the University’s total revenue was $454.2 million; tuition and fees made up 36 percent of that figure. State money made up only 13 percent of the University’s revenues.
Tuition dollars go mainly to pay the salaries of University faculty and staff. Last year, $186.5 million went to pay for instruction and instructional support.
Associate Vice President for Budget and Finance Laura Hubbard said every year the percentage of money the University gets from the state decreases, while tuition and fees increase to make up for the loss.
Tuition can only increase at a rate of 3 percent per year.
Students notice increasing costs in their pocket books, but they may not realize exactly where the increases are and what they pay for. This breakdown attempts to explain how the University is currently spending students’ tuition and fees.
It also details how the $191 in incidental fees each student pays per term are used. Unlike tuition and fees, students have a say in how the University spends these funds.
The student government’s Programs Finance Committee is now holding meetings and deciding how funds will be allocated. The PFC controls a $5.2 million slice of the $10.2 million in total incidental fees collected this year.
$1,248 per term in tuition
Currently, 20,394 students are enrolled at the University. Of those, 14,193 are full-time undergraduates. The following numbers are based on what an Oregon resident would pay if he or she were an undergraduate taking 15 credit hours. This is not the case for all students, so actual numbers may vary. Graduate students and non-residents pay more than resident undergraduates and students taking fewer credits. Even part-time students pay a portion, if not the full amount, of the following fees:
$250 Matriculation Fee
($150 for graduate students)
This one-time fee covers the cost of new-student orientations, transcripts, degree applications, re-enrollment and changes in course scheduling.
$109.75 Health Service Fee
About 60 percent of the student population utilizes the Student Health Center, Health Center Director Tom Ryan said, adding that a single office visit costs $6, regardless of the length of its duration, and medication is affordable.
For students without health insurance, Ryan said, it’s much cheaper to go to the health center than anywhere else.
The Health Service Fee supports 70 to 75 percent of the center’s costs, he said. It pays for things such as supplies, medication, facilities and staffing. The other 25 to 30 percent of its budget comes from user fees. This year is the first time in four years that the service fee has increased.
$90 Technology Fee
The University’s technology fee is the second highest in the Oregon University System. Only Oregon State University charges more, with a $100 fee. This fee supports the computer labs, the University e-mail system and other computer lab costs.
$50 Application Fee
This fee is charged when potential students apply for University admittance. The money goes into the general fund. While all fees and tuition go into this fund, most are already slated to go toward specific costs. The application fee is not.
$45 Building Fee
This fee is the same for all institutions in the OUS. It goes to finance debt service for construction associated with student centers, health centersand recreational facilities.
$17 Energy Surcharge
Eastern Oregon University is the only other university in the OUS to charge this fee. The fee was authorized in 2001-02 to address rising energy costs to OUS institutions that could potentially cause significant financial burdens on the schools. The cap is $40 per term. EOU currently charges students $20 per term.
$15.25 Student Recreation Center fee
This fee pays the bond debt from the first and second phases of construction on the Student Recreation Center. The fee will end in 2028 when the debt is paid off. Incidental fees amounting to $904,086 this year also go to the rec center. Law students pay $23 a term for the rec center fee.
Department fees
In addition to the fees above, students are required to pay departmental fees in accordance with their major each term:
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