The University of Nebraska Board of Regents Business Affairs Committee was asked Friday to consider tuition increases for programs in the UNMC Colleges of Dentistry and Nursing and the School of Allied Health Professions.
The proposed increases are for the College of Dentistry’s D.D.S. program, the College of Nursing’s graduate programs and for Allied Health’s graduate professional programs in physical therapy and medical nutrition. No undergraduate tuition rates would be affected by this proposal. The board will consider changes in undergraduate tuition rates across the university at its June meeting.
The increases would bring tuition levels in these programs up to the average of UNMC’s regent-designated peer institutions, allow the medical center to hire additional faculty in areas where they are needed and bring salary levels in these programs closer to peer-average levels, said John Adams, Ph.D., assistant vice chancellor for budget and strategic planning.
“The immediate direct benefit for the students will be that their educational opportunities and experiences will be strengthened by the addition of quality faculty members,” Dr. Adams said. “The longer term benefit is that UNMC will be more competitive in the recruitment and retention of faculty members.”
Currently, UNMC D.D.S. students pay about $20,500 a year, which is about $3,500 below the average of its peer institutions.
College of Nursing graduate students pay about $6,000 annually, which is about $2,700 below the peer average.
UNMC physical therapy students pay $9,250 annually — which is about $3,400 below the peer average.
UNMC medical nutrition students pay about $2,700 annually — the lowest among its peer institutions and about $2,400 less than the peer average.
The increases, if approved by the full board of regents in June, would go into effect this coming fall. Students currently enrolled in the affected programs would not have their tuition increased as a result of these changes, Dr. Adams said.
Student leaders in each of the concerned programs have been notified of the potential changes and some of them expressed their support of the proposed increases before the business affairs committee on Friday.
“The students appreciate the benefits that will be reaped from these increases and they also realize that these programs will continue to provide an excellent education at a good value,” Dr. Adams said.