YSU Finance Committee passes resolution to raise price of tuition

In the midst of a marathon of committee meetings Thursday, YSU's finance committee passed a three percent tuition hike starting this fall.
Current students will pay the same, but the incoming freshman class will pay about $5,500 per semester. That rate will stay locked in for four years.

According to a report from U.S. News, the average tuition for a YSU student is $10,838.

"YSU's undergraduate tuition will remain the third lowest in the state," said VP of Finance and Business Operations Neal McNally. "That's because all the other state universities in Ohio have reported their plans to adjust their tuition by the same three percent."

The committee also created a similar tiered tuition structure for a YSU location in Jefferson County, where the soon-to-be-defunct Eastern Gateway Community College is headquartered. Incoming EGCC students will pay a bit more, but McNally says that's because community colleges have a different cost structure. President Bill Johnson told 21 News a lot of thought went into establishing the rates.

"We need to make sure that the people that would have gone to Eastern Gateway are not hit with sticker shock," Johnson said, adding that some classes for EGCC programs are already being taught online. Other transition plans will have to wait until Eastern Gateway finishes its dissolution process later this year.

"It seems like nothing is happening. At the same time though, a lot is happening," said Johnson.

We also gained insight into the university's financial picture Thursday.
Revenues are reportedly trending up, along with applications.
Credit rating agency Standard and Poors also delivered some good news,

"They reaffirmed our rating of 'A+' and obviously that's a very solid rating, but more importantly they revised our outlook from negative to stable," said McNally.

Signs of solid footing as YSU gears up for another academic year.