Undergraduate students at Adams State University will not see a tuition increase next year, according to the budget for fiscal year 2017-18 approved by the university’s Board of Trustees June 22. Most fees were also held at last year’s rates, with the exception of the capital fee to support campus improvements. Housing rates remain unchanged, with board rates increasing two percent.
The total cost of tuition, fees, room and board per semester for undergraduate Colorado residents will be $8,935, an increase of only $183, or 2 percent, over last year. The semester total for out-of-state undergraduates will also increase by 2 percent, to $14,446.
New students would normally see a tuition increase over the previous year, but the board’s action keeps tuition at 2016-17 rates. Adams State’s Guaranteed Tuition program locks in those rates through students’ fourth consecutive academic year.
"It was very important for us to minimize cost increases for our students, many of whom have low income backgrounds. That’s also why we initiated our Guaranteed Tuition program for on-campus students. It is designed to reduce student debt and encourage degree completion in four years," said Adams State President Beverlee J. McClure. Adams State’s full-time tuition window, which charges a flat rate for 12 to 20 credits a semester, also saves students money and gives incentive to complete at least 15 credits a semester, which is necessary to graduate within four years.
Adams State has the highest proportion of low-income students – 51 percent – among Colorado’s four-year institutions. Its student body is also the most diverse, with 45 percent identifying as minorities. Hispanic enrollment is 35 percent. In addition, one-third of all undergraduates and half of Hispanic undergraduates are the first generation in their families to attend college. One-third of students hail from the San Luis Valley, with a total of 68 percent Colorado residents.
The 2017-18 budget assumes enrollment comparable to last year’s and total Colorado General Fund support of $14,259,963, which increased somewhat. The university also expects additional revenue from new and/or restructured initiatives.
