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No tuition hike for USF out-of-staters

By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO-VAN SICKLER
Published June 2, 2006

TAMPA - Out-of-state students at the University of South Florida won't face a tuition hike this fall, a move administrators hope will lure more high-caliber students from across the country.

But in-state undergraduate and graduate students, who make up most of USF's population, will pay 3 percent more per credit hour under a plan unanimously approved Thursday by the USF board of trustees.

For undergraduates, tuition will go from $1,618.20 per 15-credit semester to $1,666.75. For graduate students taking 12 credits per semester, the tuition bill will go from $2,932.32 to $3,020.29.

Provost Renu Khator said even with the increases, USF's rates - like those at Florida's 10 other public universities - will remain well below the national average.

Only one state, Nevada, has lower undergraduate resident tuition rates for state universities.

"Florida's education is still a very good deal," Khator said.

Tuition will remain at its current level for nonresident medical students. Floridians enrolled in the medical school and nonresidents studying for doctorates in physical therapy will see a 5 percent increase. In-state residents in the physical therapy program will pay 3 percent more, starting in the fall.

Legislators recently passed a law that allows state universities to raise tuition for undergraduate Florida residents by 3 percent, a provision that Gov. Jeb Bush included in his recently signed budget. But university boards of trustees have the power to raise tuition for graduate and nonresident students by up to 10 percent starting in the fall.

Also Thursday, the board:

n Agreed to temporarily waive out-of-state fees for a handful of students who are still enrolled at USF after being displaced last summer by Hurricane Katrina. About 100 students started taking classes at USF last fall after the storm shut down several colleges along the Gulf Coast. But most have returned to their former colleges.

n Elected longtime trustee Rhea Law to be board chairwoman, replacing Dick Beard, who stepped down from the leadership post after five years. Beard will continue to serve as a board member. Law, a USF graduate, is president and CEO of the law firm Fowler White Boggs Banker. She was serving as vice chairwoman. Trustee John Ramil, a USF graduate and president of TECO Energy, will be vice chairman.

Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler can be reached at 813 226-3403 or svansickler@sptimes.com.

[Last modified June 2, 2006, 05:58:44]