OAR 715-013-0030: Tuition Increase Process and Criteria

(1) Definitions: (a) “Academic year” is the period of the year where students typically attend an educational institution, which in Oregon consists of three terms (fall, winter and spring). (b) “Cohort” is a group of students, typically based on year of entry or differentiated by the campus at which they take their courses, who are charged the same tuition or fee rates as one another while being charged a rate that differs from other such cohorts. (c) “Higher Education Coordinating Commission” or “HECC” is the body established by ORS 350.050. (d) “Mandatory enrollment fees” are ongoing fees such as, but not limited to building, health and technology fees charged to all resident undergraduate students that are not set by the recognized student government. Such fees are subject to review by HECC pursuant to ORS 352.105. (e) “Resident” student is a student classified as such by a public university’s Residency Classification Officer, reviewed by the Inter-institutional Residency Committee, or students granted resident tuition under ORS 352.287. (f) “Tuition” is the base amount charged for 45 credits in a given academic year, either to a resident undergraduate student, or to a cohort of students not including any differential. If an institution charges an additional fee for the first credit of each term that amount will be added for each of the three terms. (g) “Weighted increase approach” is the method by which tuition and mandatory enrollment fee increases are calculated for institutions with multiple cohorts who pay different tuition and mandatory enrollment fee rates. HECC staff shall individually calculate the increase for each student cohort and then weight each cohort being charged a different rate by its projected, relative proportion of the projected, total resident undergraduate population. These weighted increases shall then be combined to calculate the overall increase. (2) Pursuant to ORS 352.102 the Commission has the authority to review all resident undergraduate tuition and mandatory enrollment fee increases of greater than five percent. (a) In order to determine if this threshold has been reached, HECC staff shall calculate the tuition and mandatory enrollment fee increase for each public university after board adoption. (A) In cases where all resident undergraduate students are charged the same rate, this calculation shall compare the combined tuition and mandatory enrollment fees charged in the current year to those approved by the university for the upcoming academic year. (B) In cases where multiple cohorts are charged different rates, HECC staff shall use a weighted increase approach. (C) For purposes of this rule, public universities with separate campuses charging differing tuition or mandatory enrollment fee rates shall use the weighted increase approach. (b) In any case where the calculated increase is less than five percent, no further action is required. (c) Should a calculated increase, or in the case of public universities with multiple campuses or those who use cohorts, a weighted increase, be greater than 5%, review by the Commission is required. (3) The public university must inform HECC staff within seven days of its board adopting a tuition and mandatory enrollment fee increase of greater than 5%. In providing such notification, the university must include the following documents related to the advisory board process, many of which are required under ORS 352.103: (a) Any and all information produced by the tuition advisory body during deliberations including any minority opinions; (b) Any and all public comments received by the tuition advisory body during the tuition setting process; (c) Minutes from all tuition advisory body meetings; (d) Any documents or information provided to the tuition advisory body; (e) All governing board and governing board committee agendas and docket items pertaining to the tuition and fee increase; (f) Pro forma budget statements, or documents of a similar nature, presented for all tuition scenarios presented to the institution’s tuition advisory body; (g) Information on how proposed tuition increase(s) impact tuition remissions; (h) The impact of that increase on students, especially historically underserved students; (i) The impact of that increase on the mission of the university; (j) Alternative scenarios involving smaller increases; (k) Information about how much revenue would be generated by each one percent resident tuition or one percent enrollment increase; (l) Any documentation on how an increase in the PUSF above the level upon which the tuition increase is based will reduce the resident undergraduate tuition increase in $20 million increments; (m) Information on cost containment efforts; and (n) Any other documents that HECC staff request as part of their review pursuant to the criteria outlined in section (6) of this rule. (4) Following board action that requires Commission review, the recognized student government of the relevant university shall have 14 days to submit any documents or response it deems appropriate or relevant to the review. (5) Any tuition and fee increase review shall take place at a regularly scheduled Commission meeting which includes the full Commission membership and shall include opportunities for both the university and recognized student government to discuss the proposed increase. The HECC staff recommendation will be included with the meeting materials which will be made available to the public. (6) The review principles by which tuition increases shall be evaluated by HECC staff for recommendation to the Commission shall include the following. (a) Fostering an inclusive and transparent tuition-setting process. The institution should be able to demonstrate that students had multiple opportunities to engage in the tuition-setting process and that related information about the tuition setting process was easily accessible. (b) Safeguarding access and support for degree completion by historically underrepresented students. The institution should be able to demonstrate they considered the impact of any proposed tuition increase on remission programs and student support services that bolster retention and completion of underrepresented students. During years in which the Legislature is in session, the institution should propose a plan for reducing tuition costs if the level of state funding ultimately decided by the Legislature exceeds the level of funding upon which the increase is predicated. (c) Financial conditions exist demonstrating the need for resident, undergraduate tuition to be increased more than 5%. The institution should be able to demonstrate that current and projected financial conditions compelling the need for the increase exist to meet the critical portions of its HECC-approved mission or goals set in the HECC’s strategic plan, including documentation that alternatives to raising tuition above 5% were considered. The institution should also be able to demonstrate it has considered and implemented cost containment efforts for those costs within its control. (d) In making its recommendation, HECC staff shall consider the totality of an institution’s submission. An institution’s shortcoming or success with respect to any one criterion shall not necessarily determine the overall conclusion about the appropriateness of the proposed increase. The review principles are intended to inform and guide the HECC staff review of any proposed increases. Regardless of HECC staff recommendation, the Commission reserves the authority to determine whether a proposed annual increase of resident undergraduate enrollment fees of greater than five percent is appropriate as noted in ORS 350.075 (3)(h)(B).