Student fees hiked 20+%

by Sarah R. Buchholz, Chronicle staff

oting 21-1 Wednesday, the Board of Trustees approved a mandatory fee hike for fiscal year 2003-2004 for students throughout the University system.

     On the Amherst campus, the fee increase for in-state undergraduates is $1,000, raising the rate to $5,768 for next year, a nearly 21 percent increase. A $2,000 hike for out-of-state undergraduates will raise their fees 37 percent to $7,398.

     Amherst graduate student fees also were raised. Residents will see a 24.3 percent increase from $4,113 to $5,113, and out-of-staters a nearly 40 percent hike to $7,018.

     The board did not raise tuition, which goes to the state's general fund. Fees are retained on the campuses.

     The dissenting vote was cast by William Powers, the student trustee from the Amherst campus.

     The fee hikes throughout the system will raise an estimated $40 million, according to the President's Office.