Tuition rates for incoming undergraduate and graduate students for the next academic year will be almost 6 percent higher than last fall. The increase was approved at Monday’s Board of Trustees meeting.

The new rate is $254 per credit hour, a $15 increase. For students taking a regular 15-hour semester, tuition for fall and spring will total $7,620.

Non-resident undergrads will pay $762 per credit hour, a $45 increase.

Rates for non-resident graduate students decreased by $31. The new rate is $686.

“Tuition increases at this time are, unfortunately, necessary because of the economy and the state of the state,” Eric Wilber, student trustee, said. “I think we’re keeping Eastern very affordable.”

The increase is the smallest since a state law required a four-year tuition guarantee for undergraduates starting in fiscal year 2005.

Accompanying the tuition increase is a hike in two student fees, previously approved by the student senate.

The Lantz Arena-O’Brien Stadium operations/bond-revenue fee will increase 65 cents per credit hour in the fall, bringing it to $2.50. It will then increase by 50 cents for the next three years. The total fee will be $4 in fiscal year 2014.

The campus improvement fee will increase by $2.50 per credit hour each year over the next four years. Next year’s fee is $14.50, after the four years the fee will be $22. The increase will fund deferred maintenance in the existing science facilities and will eventually be used to help pay for a new facility for the sciences.

“We decided it was imperative that we take our university into our own hands,” Wilber said. “We’re still waiting on capital funding for the Doudna (Fine Arts Center) from the state. Clearly, we cannot rely on them. While this is a large increase, I think it’s needed.”

President Bill Perry, who proposed the campus improvement fee increase, said Eastern currently ranks fourth out of Illinois’ 12 public universities in affordability.

“I suspect when all the dust clears, we’ll still be third or fourth from the bottom in cost in the state,” Perry said. “The students have put a stake in the ground by endorsing this fee very strongly.”

The board voted to approve a two-year extension to Athletic Director Barbara Burke’s contract. Burke’s contract is extended through June 30, 2013.

Tenure recommendations were made by Blair Lord, provost and vice president for academic affairs, and approved by the board for 20 faculty members.

Sarah Ruholl can be reached at 581-7942 or seruholl@eiu.edu.