The 3.5 percent tuition increase, set to take effect this spring, may force some out-of-state students to dig deeper in their pockets.

Starting Spring 2010, the instructional fee will jump from $3,889 to $4,020 per semester for all students. Additionally, general fees will go from $633 this semester to $660. Together, this means each student, regardless of residency, will pay an extra $158 starting next semester.

As of this fall, tuition for a non-resident is $8,176 per year, which has been increased to $8,334 next semester due to the increased tuition.

The non-resident fee, which has not increased since fall 2005, is $7,308 per academic year, or $3,654 per semester, for full-time non-resident students.

Gary Swegan, assistant vice president/director of admissions, said the tuition increase will affect all University students the same dollar amount, regardless of state residency, because it is only a change in regular fees – not non-resident fees.

‘Boiled down in its simplest form, an out-of-state student is going to be impacted the same way an in-state student is,’ Swegan said.

While non-resident fees are not increasing, out-of-state students have mixed feelings about the tuition increase. Senior Ian Kenyon of Eau Claire, Wis. , said he feels the tuition increase is necessary.

‘I wouldn’t say I support it, because I’m paying for it, but I understand why the University does it,’ he said. ‘It’s just how Universities run; they always increase tuition at some point.’

Senior Ross Duncan, from Caldwell, Texas, said despite the hike, tuition at the University is still a very good deal compared to other schools.

‘I don’t think it [the increase] is that bad for the quality of the school overall,’ he said. ‘I think they [Ohio residents] take for granted how cheap tuition really is [at the University.]’

But other non-resident students feel the tuition increase is unfair.

‘It’s already harder because we have to pay more than they [in-state students] do,’ said freshman Stephanie Longmire from Detroit, Mich.

Freshman Eileen Leili from Pinellas County, Fla. , said she plans on paying for tuition next semester by taking out more school loans.

‘It’s actually a lot harder because that means less money I can use for my personal use… it makes me frustrated,’ she said.

Swegan said the new tuition rate is likely here to stay.

‘You can pretty reasonably say anytime fees go up, it’s forever,’ he said. ‘It could be worse in the sense that students could be paying the $131 this fall and then again in the spring.’

The University was granted authority to raise tuition effective this fall, Swegan said, but chose to wait until spring 2010.

Swegan said he does not expect non-resident student enrollment to decrease, due in part to an increase in recruitment efforts. This year’s recruiting season 1,100 off-campus recruiting programs have been scheduled, in comparison with last year’s 670.

‘We’re very optimistic that we have significantly increased our recruitment activity,’ he said. ‘Part of our increased recruitment is being more aggressive out-of-state.’

The University is actively recruiting in New York, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Maryland and New Jersey.

Swegan said the University ‘had two or three years of slight decline [in non-resident enrollment]’hellip; but I think we’ll continue to move it in the right direction.”