No decision yet on rates, faculty told
FAYETTEVILLE — No decision has been made about any student fee increases, a university administrator told faculty members.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson earlier this month requested that four-year universities freeze tuition at current levels for the upcoming academic year. School governance boards decide on tuition rates. University of Arkansas System President Donald Bobbitt told state legislators on Jan. 11 that “we are very committed to the governor’s request.”
Along with tuition — $7,384 for a typical year’s schedule of 30 hours — students typically pay $1,678 yearly in fees, according to cost-of-attendance data published by the university.
“Fees at this point, that’s still not been decided. There’s a lot of political pressure to keep fees flat as well, but that’s not what the governor has asked,” said Terry Martin, senior vice provost for academic affairs, speaking Wednesday at a gathering of the faculty senate.
Among mandatory fees paid by students is a facilities fee, $15.60 per credit hour in 2017-18.
Mike Johnson, associate vice chancellor for facilities, told faculty members that a request to to increase the facilities fee by $1.50 has been discussed, but no decision made. The UA System’s board of trustees typically meets in May to set tuition and fee rates for the new academic year.
Malaysians eligible for poultry courses
FAYETTEVILLE — A Malaysian university has signed a memorandum of understanding with UA that would allow for faculty- and student-exchange programs in the field of poultry science.
Universiti Putra Malaysia students will be able to earn a poultry science certificate from UA as part of the agreement, with Fayetteville students able to study during the summer in Malaysia, a country in Southeast Asia.
“This is another opportunity for students from a different university to spend a year here and position themselves for a great career in poultry,” Mike Kidd, head of the poultry science department, said in a statement.
“It also opens the door to new opportunities for our students to go overseas and get experiences that will put them at the top of the list when applying for jobs.”
Students from the Malaysian university will be required to be seniors and have a minimum 2.5-grade-point average before being able to transfer to UA to complete the certificate program.