University of Kansas: Tuition Structure Question

[rlmrl...@gmail.com]

Are there any specific features in your tuition structure that were designed to

1) Discourage students from taking classes at other institutions and
transferring credit back to you?
2) Increase average credit hours enrolled? And/or decrease time to degree?
3) Increase enrollment in on-line courses?

If you have one or more school specific course fees / differential tuition (tuition surcharge on specific coursework), how much of the additional revenue is shared with the unit that teaches the credit hours?

If you have an optional guaranteed rate for undergraduates, what proportion of students Opt-into the guaranteed four-year tuition rate?

Do you have any incentives based on specific enrollment behaviors such as discounting summer tuition, graduate in 4 rebates, banking unused block hours?

Attributes of the Tuition Structure at your university:

Yes No
Guaranteed four-year rate Yes No

School specific course fees Yes No

Block Rate Tuition Yes No
same amount once a student reaches a certain number of hours)
If yes, enrollment level at which fixed rate kicks in
If yes, the top range that the fixed rate applies to.
If yes, number of hours the fixed rate is relative to hourly tuition rate.
For instance, students enrolled in 12-18 hours pay the effective rate of 15 hours.)

Block Rate tuition rate that varies based on student's major
College or School)
Yes No

Block Rate tuition rate that varies based on student's level?
(Lower Division pay less than Upper Division)
Yes No

[kathy.kam...@gmail.com]

Oklahoma State University

Are there any specific features in your tuition structure that were designed to

1. Discourage students from taking classes at other institutions and transferring credit back to you?
• Because OSU has incorporated a block rate that applies to full-time undergraduates (those taking 12 or more hours per semester), this should, at least indirectly, discourage those students from taking courses at other institutions since they will pay the same OSU rate for anywhere from 12 to 18 credit hours per semester.
2. Increase average credit hours enrolled? And/or decrease time to degree?
• Yes – the block rate absolutely encourages students to increase credit hours enrolled in. The block rate is equivalent to the per-credit-hour rate of 15 hours, so it (1) encourages students who have historically taken fewer than 15 to increase so that they are “getting their money’s worth” and/or (2) encourages students to take 16 or more hours because it is in essence hours that they can take without paying additional tuition/mandatory fees. This incentive to increase hours enrolled is all part of the “Finish in Four” initiative that OSU has implemented to shorten time to degree.
3. Increase enrollment in on-line courses?
• Not really, although the fact that our colleges have increased online offerings does serve as some encouragement to increase that enrollment.

If you have one or more school specific course fees / differential tuition (tuition surcharge on specific coursework), how much of the additional revenue is shared with the unit that teaches the credit hours?

• OSU has very few specific course fees at the undergraduate level. The fees we do have are for very specialized courses (e.g. private music lessons, aviation, etc.) and 100% of this revenue goes to the department. In addition, OSU does have specific college-level fees where the revenue is allocated at the discretion of the dean.

If you have an optional guaranteed rate for undergraduates, what proportion of students Opt-into the guaranteed four-year tuition rate?

• OSU currently has an optional guaranteed tuition rate for in-state undergraduates. Because this rate is 15% higher than our non-guaranteed rate, it is never the most cost-beneficial option for students. Less than .1% of eligible students opt into this program.

Do you have any incentives based on specific enrollment behaviors such as discounting summer tuition, graduate in 4 rebates, banking unused block hours?

• The block rate model at OSU does allow students who enroll in fewer than 15 hours in a single semester (or fewer than 30 hours in combined fall/spring semesters) to bank hours for the summer.

Attributes of the Tuition Structure at your university:
Yes No
Guaranteed four-year rate Yes

School specific course fees Yes but very few

Block Rate Tuition Yes

same amount once a student reaches a certain number of hours)

If yes, enrollment level at which fixed rate kicks in 12 hours
If yes, the top range that the fixed rate applies to. 18 hours (the student pays the block rate plus the per-credit-hour rate for hours over 18 – e.g. 19 hours would be charged block rate plus 1 additional hour of tuition/fees)
If yes, number of hours the fixed rate is relative to hourly tuition rate. 15 hours of the per credit hour rate

For instance, students enrolled in 12-18 hours pay the effective rate of 15 hours.)

Block Rate tuition rate that varies based on student's major
College or School)

No
Block Rate tuition rate that varies based on student's level?
(Lower Division pay less than Upper Division)

No

[fwillbrant]

Kansas State University Response:  

Answers in CAPS below:

Are there any specific features in your tuition structure that were designed to

1) Discourage students from taking classes at other institutions and
   transferring credit back to you?  NO
2) Increase average credit hours enrolled?  And/or decrease time to degree?  NO
3) Increase enrollment in on-line courses?  NO

If you have one or more school specific course fees / differential tuition (tuition surcharge on specific coursework), how much of the additional revenue is shared with the unit that teaches the credit hours?  100% GOES BACK TO COLLEGE

If you have an optional guaranteed rate for undergraduates, what proportion of students Opt-into the guaranteed four-year tuition rate?  N/A

Do you have any incentives based on specific enrollment behaviors such as discounting summer tuition, graduate in 4 rebates, banking unused block hours?  NO

Attributes of the Tuition Structure at your university: Guaranteed four-year rate  - NO