Northern Arizona University is proposing that next year’s tuition rates remain the same for most continuing undergraduates, coupled with a modest increase to the current rate for incoming students, keeping NAU’s resident tuition the lowest in the state.
In his multi-tiered 2012-13 tuition and mandatory fee proposal sent to the Arizona Board of Regents this week, NAU President John Haeger requested the continuation of NAU’s Tuition Pledge, which guarantees undergraduates on the Flagstaff campus the same tuition rate for eight semesters.
If approved, more than 90 percent of current Flagstaff undergraduates would pay the same tuition rate they were guaranteed in previous years. Now in its fifth year at NAU, the Pledge brings predictability to the cost of higher education and serves as an incentive for students to complete their degree in four years.
“The Pledge program remains key to NAU’s continued growth and is extraordinarily popular among students and their families who cite it as a motivating factor for choosing NAU,” Haeger said.
His proposal focuses on various locations and delivery methods to meet student needs.
“NAU is committed to giving students varied options—both in terms of their learning environment and in the cost of attending,” Haeger said. “By offering cost-saving models in communities throughout the state and online, as well as a traditional residential campus in Flagstaff, NAU is helping to make education more accessible.”
In addition to recommending that NAU continue its tuition guarantee to current undergraduate students in Flagstaff, Haeger requested modest increases over last year for undergraduate students who are new to NAU’s Pledge program or attending NAU in Yuma, Prescott Valley or through Extended Campuses. Graduate students also would see a modest increase.
NAU’s tuition proposal—which is contingent upon the continuance of the Pledge program and the university’s expected enrollment growth—includes:
Flagstaff campus
- New resident Pledge undergraduate students would pay tuition and fees of $9,271. Under the Pledge, the tuition rate would be guaranteed for four years. It is $447 (5 percent) more than the current freshman Pledge class.
- New non-resident Pledge undergraduate students would pay tuition and fees of $21,626. Under the Pledge, the tuition rate would be guaranteed for four years. It is $447 (2 percent) more than the new rate established last year.
- Continuing non-Pledge resident undergraduates: $7,684 or 3 percent
- Resident graduate students: $8,378, up $373 or 5 percent
- Non-resident graduate students: $19,472, up $564 or 3 percent
NAU-Yuma and Extended Campus sites
- Resident undergraduate students: $6,508 up $191 or 3 percent
- Resident graduate students: $7,767, up $372 or 5 percent
- Non-resident undergraduate students: $18,190, up $540 or 3 percent
- Non-resident graduate students: $18,861, up $563 or 3 percent
NAU-Yavapai
- Resident undergraduate students: $4,948, up $145 or 3 percent
- Non-resident undergraduate students: $14,715, up $432 or 3 percent
NAU’s tuition recommendations also are accompanied by a request for new graduate program fees and upper division class fees:
- Physician assistant: $9,000 annually for the two-year program
- Doctor of physical therapy: Increase from $1,800 per year to $2,400 per year for the three-year program; applicable to both the Flagstaff and Phoenix programs
- Doctor of nursing practice: $40 per hour for the 71-hour program; students may transfer up to 41 hours from previous master’s-level study. Total: $1,200 – $2,840
- Master of science in clinical speech-language pathology: $30 per hour for the 60-hour program. Total $1,800
- ECI492, Supervised Teaching: from $45 to $175
- BIO680, Biological Techniques: from $100 to $150
- GLG440C, Advanced Geologic Field Methods: from $800 to $1,100
- ENV375, Environmental Sciences of the San Juan River Basin: $750 (New)
The regents are scheduled to vote on the university tuition proposals April 5 at their regularly scheduled meeting in Tucson.
Prior to the board meeting, regents will conduct a statewide public hearing to give students and others an opportunity to voice their opinion on the three universities’ tuition proposals. The hearing is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. March 28 at locations across the state. ABOR and NAU will notify the public when exact locations are determined. Those who cannot attend a hearing may send comments via email to the Arizona Board of Regents at tuition@azregents.edu; by regular mail, at 2020 N. Central Ave., Suite 230, Phoenix, AZ 85004; or by fax at (602) 229-2555. All comments received prior to March 30 will be shared with the regents in advance of the April meeting.