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LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) — The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees has declined to act on a proposal to adopt cost-based student fees for academic programs after questions were raised about the size and timing of the fee increases.
Trustee John McKinley said he thought it would be too much to ask the students to pay an increased fee rate as well as a 4 percent tuition increase, which was approved in November for fiscal year 2018.
"I feel this magnitude of fee increases is inappropriate and excessive," McKinley said during the trustees meeting last week. "It is approximately a 61 percent fee increase of the current fees being charged."
Although McKinley said he was supportive of efforts requiring students to shoulder a greater share of the costs of their individual programs, he thought the program fee proposal went too far, the Laramie Boomerang reported (http://bit.ly/2o7ro3F ) in Tuesday's editions.
In addition, changing the fall semester's cost structure so late in the year was another cause for concern, McKinley said.
"Even though those fees are subject to change — I understand that — I don't think that is a fair and proper service we are doing for the incoming students," he said.
The proposal required more thoughtful conversation, and if implemented, the students needed plenty of warning, McKinley added.
UW President Laurie Nichols said she would like to sit down with students and others before trying to move another fee proposal forward, which could be back on the table for fall 2018.
The proposed program fees would have replaced undergraduate fees, about 86 course fees and more than 40 fees for course or program activities as well as other charges.
The fees would cost students an average $370 more than the current fee structure and fees would be higher in programs that cost more to educate students.
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Information from: Laramie Boomerang, http://www.laramieboomerang.com
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