Tuition for most Missouri Western State University students will remain unchanged for the 2016-2017 school year. The Board of Governors set in-state undergraduate tuition on the St. Joseph campus at $197.79 per credit hour, unchanged from last year. Out-of-state and graduate students and those taking classes at the Kansas City Northland campus or Penn Valley will see modest increases of approximately 2 percent.

“In-state undergraduate credit hours account for about 75 percent of our total credit hours, so the majority of students won’t see a change in their tuition bill,” said Cale Fessler, vice president for financial planning and administration. “We remain committed to keeping the cost of a Missouri Western education in reach for most families. In fact, our tuition for in-state undergraduates is the third lowest among public four-year universities in the state, and this will mark the sixth time in the last 13 years that we have frozen tuition for most of our students.”

The Board of Governors also approved room and board rates for next year. Room rates will rise by 2.5 percent in Griffon Hall and 3 percent in all other residence halls. Board rates will increase approximately 3.5 percent.

For a full-time in-state student living on campus with a 21-meal plan, the total cost of tuition, room and board will increase $122 per semester, or 1.7 percent.

In other action, the Board:

  • Approved a bid of $101,696 from St. Joseph Plumbing and Heating to install new HVAC units in Popplewell and Wilson Halls. The project will be paid for through funds from last year’s House Bill 19, which provided Missouri Western with $4.8 million for deferred maintenance.
  • Approved a ten-year campus soda and vending services contract with Pepsi. Missouri Western will receive a 35 percent commission on all soda sales as well as $990,000 in support funds over the life of the contract.

Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.