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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Four of Mississippi's public universities are likely to begin charging student activity fees this fall, moving further away from the state's one-time policy of tuition including all charges.
The College Board on Wednesday approved Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi to add $5-a-semester fee, and for Jackson State University and Mississippi Valley State University to add $10-a-semester fees.
Board members must approve the fees again later.
The board also gave final approval Wednesday for Delta State University to begin charging a $50-a-semester facilities fee, joining the Mississippi University for Women, Ole Miss and MSU.
Facility fees began in fall 2013, changing the policy of generally charging for only tuition, room and board.
The universities say student groups need more money. Delta State plans to spend facilities money on renovations and upgrades.
Higher Education Commissioner Bounds said student government presidents first made the request. Students at MSU, Valley and JSU have voted in referenda to support the increases.
Davis Rogers, president of Ole Miss Associated Student Body, said that the money would be used to increase funding for student groups, late-night programming, and outside speakers paid for by students.
"Currently our universities have hundreds of student organizations and not enough funding to fund them," Rogers told the board. "It's difficult for them to make an impact with the small amount of money they have."
The fees are projected to generate an additional $155,000 a year at MSU, an additional $201,000 a year at Ole Miss, an additional $190,000 a year at JSU and an additional $44,000 a year at Valley. In each case, the money will be used to increase funding, not replace money currently being spent.
JSU Student Government Association President Keonte Turner said that students and administrators would not discriminate among the viewpoints of groups in handing out the money.
Rising college costs at Mississippi's eight public universities have far outstripped increases in family income in recent years. MSU Student Association President Brett Harris said the proposed fees are lower than at many universities.
"We wanted to make sure this isn't creating a financial burden for students," Harris said.
Delta State expects to generate $300,000 from its facilities fee.
Additional universities are expected to add facilities and student fees in the near future, officials said.
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