University of Southern Indiana's student activity fee will double for the 2016-17 academic year.
USI's Board of Trustees approved the increase Thursday.
USI vice president for Finance and Administration Steve Bridges said students will "really see a difference" in the student activity fee, which increases to $100 for the 2016-17 year. That fee hasn't increased from $50 since 2012.
"I was actually uncomfortable with that to begin with," Bridges said about the student activity fee increase.
USI's Student Government Association asked for the increase. Bridges said SGA members want additional funding to create more activities on campus. Part of their plan, Bridges said, includes travel grants.
"Originally I debated doubling the (student activity) fee," he said. "But in lookingatwhattheywantto accomplish and what other universities are charging, it made sense to do so." Miscellaneous fees are not mandatory for all students. The courses and activities students are involved in determine their level of fees.
Other miscellaneous fee increases include: audit fee (plus applicable lab fee) will go from $35 to $50; departmental exam fees increase $10 to $25; the enrollment fee hikes from $100 to $150; late registration fee during week 1 rises from $35 to $50; late registration fee beginning week 2 increases from $125 to $150; matriculation fee for all new and transfer students rises from $150 to $175; the payment plan fee increases $5 to $35; the study abroad fee hikes from $100 to $300 and the transcript fee rises from $20 to $50.
In other news at Thursday's meeting: USI officials reviewed per-semester credit hour fees for 2016-17: $234.82 for Indiana resident undergraduate students; $576.22 for nonresident undergraduate students; $351.53 for Indiana resident graduate students; and $692.95 for nonresident graduate students.
These fees are increases compared with the 2015-2016 per-semester credit-hour fees of $227.92 for Indiana resident undergraduate students; $553.96 for nonresident undergraduate students; $337.92 for Indiana resident graduate students; and $666.19 for nonresident graduate students.
Last July, USI trustees approved student tuition increases for the 201516 and 2016-17 academic years.
For the upcoming year, tuition was proposed at $7,105, an increase of about $207 over the 201516 rate of $6,898. The increases were approved to support ongoing operational expenses and growth.
The board also approved a $111.8 million operating budget for the 2016-17 academic year, compared to $108 million operating budget in 201516 .