Hoping to reverse several years of falling enrollment, Western Illinois University will reduce the cost of tuition next fall. On Friday, the board of trustees approved a decrease of 3 per cent, or about 265 dollars compared to this year.
Budget director, Matt Bierman, says he's heard of a few colleges holding tuition at the current level, but has not heard of any deciding to lower it.
In addition, more students will qualify for in-state tuition at Western.
Currently, the lower in-state rate is offered only to students from Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, and Wisconsin.
For new students starting at WIU next fall, tuition will be 85-hundred dollars, for four years. Room and board rates, and other fees will probably be set in March, but Bierman predicts just a small increase, if any.
